Pakistan Conflict Monitor

Civil Service Needs Urgent Repair: Report

Reforming Pakistan's Civil Service, International Crisis Group, 16 February 2010

EXCERPT: "If Pakistan’s deteriorating civil service is not urgently repaired, public disillusionment and resentment could be used by the military to justify another spell of authoritarian rule. Reforming Pakistan’s Civil Service, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses the structure and functioning of Pakistan’s civil bureaucracy. It identifies critical flaws as well as measures to make it more accountable and able to provide essential public services. Military rule has left behind a demoralised and inefficient bureaucracy that was used to ensure regime survival. Low salaries, insecure tenure, obsolete accountability mechanisms and political interference have spawned widespread corruption and impunity. If the flaws of an unreformed bureaucracy are not urgently addressed, the government risks losing public support. 'Public perception is that the country’s 2.4 million civil servants are widely unresponsive and corrupt, while bureaucratic procedures are cumbersome and exploitative', says Samina Ahmed, Crisis Group’s South Asia Project Director. 'Bureaucratic dysfunction and low capacity undermine governance, providing opportunities to the military to subvert the democratic transition and to extremists to destabilise the state'."

Read the full news release.
Read the full report.

Related articles:
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics launched, DAWN, 16 February 2010
Rule of law and civil service, DAWN, 24 January 2010
Promotion in bureaucracy challenged in Supreme Court, DAWN, 30 September 2009
What's the problem with Pakistan?, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 31 March 2009
The minds of civil servants [op-ed], The News International, 26 February 2009

Related posts:
President and top court spar over judges, 15 February 2010
Public dismayed by crisis of governance, 18 January 2010
The challenges of Pakistani governance, 13 January 2010
Pakistan slips five places in Transparency International corruption index, 18 November 2009
Challenges of Pakistan's governance system, 26 October 2009

Karachi Grinds to a Halt Amidst Fatal Attacks, Political Turmoil

Karachi Grinds to a Halt Following Fatal Blasts, Asia Times Online, 9 February 2010

EXCERPT: "Business in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, ground to a halt at the weekend after at least 33 people were killed and over 100 injured in two explosions on Friday. The city of 18 million people houses the main stock exchange, central bank and offices of multinational corporations. Businessmen warn that Karachi, which contributes about 70% of the country's tax revenue, is fast becoming a 'no-business and no-trade city', as there is no protection to life and property... Higher than expected expenditure on security, power subsidies and cost overruns have already forced the government to slash by 30% the overall size of its Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the fiscal year that runs through to June 30. The country is dependent on external flows to keep its fiscal deficit within a target of 4.9% for the current fiscal year, yet trade activity has shrunk and dragged small businessmen into a severe financial turmoil and critics say the government has been least concerned with the problems of traders and common businessmen in the financial capital... . Local analysts see the problems in Karachi as a new development on the political front, straining ties between the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its key partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), in the coalition government in southern Sindh province... Zardari is also facing calls to step down after the Supreme Court struck down an amnesty, the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)..."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
95 held, arms seized in Karachi crackdown, GEO TV, 8 February 2010
Karachi violence blow to Pakistan economy, AFP, 7 February 2010
The unending turf wars, DAWN, 7 February 2010
The agony of Pakistan [blog], Reuters // Afghan Journal: Lifting the veil on conflict, culture and politics, 7 February 2010
Pakistani city tense as mourners bury bomb victims, Reuters, 6 February 2010

Related media:
What next for Pakistan? [video interview and commentary], Chatham House, 8 February 2010

Related posts:
Karachi bomb blasts kill Shiite worshipers, 5 February 2010
Lawmakers agree to end Karachi clashes, 4 February 2010
Karachi seen as key to Pakistan's future, 22 January 2010
Zardari re-emerges, but likely to face legal battle,  21 January 2010
Amnesty upheaval leading to "slow-burning disarray"?, 22 December 2009

Zardari Re-emerges, But Likely to Face Legal Battle

Zardari Re-emerges, But Effect on Pakistan is Unclear, The New York Times, 20 January 2010

EXCERPT: "For the first time in months, President Asif Ali Zardari is doing what presidents normally do — giving rousing speeches, traveling around the country and asserting himself publicly as the country’s chief official.  This is unusual behavior for a leader who rarely left the presidential palace, except to travel abroad, and hunkered down in silence under a barrage of media criticism for months last year, leading many to conclude that he was losing his grip on power. 'The doomsday scenario has not come to pass,' said Cyril Almeida, a columnist for Dawn, an English-language daily newspaper. It now seems more likely that Mr. Zardari will survive in power. But he remains a weak, unpopular leader, leaving the larger question for Pakistan unchanged: When will its elected leaders be capable of solving the vast assortment of crushing economic, security and social problems facing the country?"

Read the full story.

Related articles:
In disrepute: The countdown to the post-Zardari era begins, The Economist, 21 January 2010
Presidency braces itself for legal battle, DAWN, 21 January 2010

Related posts:
Zardari's nine political lives, 7 January 2010
Amnesty upheaval leading to "slow-burning disarray"?, 22 December 2009
Zardari under pressure to resign following court ruling, 17 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009

Public Dismayed by Crisis of Governance

Dire Straits for Pakistan, International Relations and Security Network, Security Watch, 18 January 2010

EXCERPT: "While the war on terror rages in Pakistan’s tribal regions, with attacks claiming more and more civilian lives and US drone strikes complicating matters further, the country faces a multitude of other problems, including a catastrophic energy crisis in the midst of a severe winter, a dire financial crunch, and a weakened government whose president is facing an insurmountable credibility conundrum. Recent developments in the country’s ongoing corruption crisis are now adding to the public’s quickly growing disillusionment with the government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, who is proving to be little, if any, improvement over his much-maligned predecessor, Pervez Musharraf. In a 17 December decision, the Pakistani Supreme Court reversed a controversial corruption amnesty law put in place under the regime of former military president Musharraf, clearing the way for massive corruption and criminal cases against top politicians, bureaucrats and generals. Today, around 8,500 corruption and other criminal cases against high-profile figures, including Zardari, are awaiting hearing."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Fazl sees conspiracies for secular Pakistan, GEO TV, 18 January 2010
Outrage over power shortage in freezing winter, DAWN, 17 January 2010
Presidential power slashed, PM to appoint Army Chief, DAWN, 14 January 2010

Related posts:
The challenges of Pakistani governance, 13 January 2010
Amnesty upheaval leading to "slow-burning disarray"?, 22 December 2009
Energy shortfall greater concern than Taliban, 18 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009

The Challenges of Pakistani Governance

Pakistan's Existential Threat [pdf], Atlantic Council, 11 January 2010

EXCERPT: "In Pakistan, it would be a disservice to look at this current conflict solely as an Afghanistan issue because Pakistan too faces the same wars within. There is a continuous battle between what the government of Pakistan wants, irrespective of its complexion, and what the people of Pakistan want. Our history clearly indicates that whenever we have experienced long periods of autocratic rule, particularly military rule, the result is a stunting of all democratic systems and institutions of civil society. It is equally critical that we factor in the economic crisis affecting Pakistan today. In a highly urbanized society where the poorest strata spend up to two-thirds of their income on food, an inflation rate in the double digits constitutes a near insurmountable challenge for the government. In addition, the country is facing power, water, and even sugar shortages, as oligopolist cartels ensconced in government and in parliament maintain their hold on scarce resources at the expense of the common person."

Read the full report [pdf].

Related articles:
Power outages trigger public-police clash, The Nation [Pakistan], 13 January 2010
US to provide $16.5 million to upgrade Pakistan's power, China View, 13 January 2010
Zardari's perception of democracy, DAWN, 10 January 2010

Related posts:
Amnesty upheaval leading to "slow-burning disarray"?, 22 December 2009
Energy shortfall greater concern than Taliban, 18 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009

Zardari's Nine Political Lives

After Setbacks, Pakistani President May Have Weathered Storm, McClatchy Newspapers, 6 January 2010

EXCERPT: "Pakistan’s US-backed president, Asif Ali Zardari, appears to have survived a campaign to oust him, a storm that had threatened to sidetrack the country from its battle with Islamic extremists. Although there were predictions in the last few months of 2009 that he was finished, Zardari has defended himself aggressively in recent days and won some political allies. The news media and the judiciary had appeared to be closing in on him, but in a world of political shadow boxing, many analysts and politicians think that Pakistan’s powerful military has been behind the drive to force the president out of office. . . The confrontation had sparked fears that the army, which has ruled Pakistan for most of its existence, would intervene again, perhaps to force fresh elections when the country is under pressure from the Obama administration to launch an offensive in North Waziristan, a vital Pakistani refuge for al Qaida and the Taliban. The army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, has let it be known repeatedly that he’s not interested in getting involved in politics, but the Pakistan People's Party, the country's largest political party, remains wary."

Read the full story.

Related posts:
An embattled Zardari battles back [blog], At War // The New York Times, 7 January 2010
PPP, Zardari emerge as "survivors" from 2009, Daily Times, 7 January 2010
NWFP assembly backs President Zardari, DAWN, 6 January 2010
Balochistan PA reposes confidence on Zardari, DAWN, 5 January 2010
Resolutions for Pakistan in 2010, East West Institute, 31 December 2009

Related posts:
Amnesty upheaval leading to "slow-burning disarray"?, 22 December 2009
Tensions mount, opposition holds off full attack on Zardari, 21 December 2009
Zardari under pressure to resign following court ruling, 17 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009

Amnesty Upheaval Leading to "Slow-Burning Disarray"?

Pakistan: Through the Eye of a Needle [blog], Reuters // Pakistan:Now or Never? Perspectives on Pakistan, 21 December 2009

EXCERPT: "For the first time in many months, the future of Pakistan is being determined not in the fight against Islamist militants, but within its institutions — its judiciary, its political parties, its government and its military.  Last week’s decision by the Supreme Court to strike down a 2007 amnesty given to politicians and bureaucrats has provided Pakistan with a rare opportunity to remodel itself as a civilian democracy based on the rule of law.  But the way forward is so fraught with difficulties that assessments of its chances of success are at best sober, at worst ominous. . .President Asif Ali Zardari had also been covered by the amnesty, but remains protected by presidential immunity. Such was the upheaval created by the ruling that foreign exchange markets were briefly shaken last week by unfounded rumours of a military coup. The real impact is likely to be more slow-burning."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Politicians, judges and generals in Pakistan [commentary], Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 22 December 2009
Has sleaze ruling left Pakistan more polarized?, BBC News, 22 December 2009
LHC suspends sentences against Rehman Malik [Interior Minister], DAWN, 22 December 2009
FATA lawmakers announce support for govt to save democracy, GEO TV, 22 December 2009
Pakistan's government reaches out to opposition, The Associated Press, 21 December 2009
Malik orders tight security for Chief Justice, DAWN, 20 December 2009
Will there always be a Pakistan?, Foreign Policy, 11 December 2009

Related posts:
Following ban, defense minister allowed to travel; Govt dismisses coup speculation, 18 December 2009
Zardari under pressure to resign following court ruling, 17 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009
Amnesty case stirs tension, charges challenged, 7 December 2009

Tensions Mount, Opposition Holds Off Full Attack on Zardari

Pakistan's Sharif Holds Off Full Attack on Zardari, Reuters, 21 December 2009

EXCERPT: "Pakistan's main opposition party said on Monday it would not support any unconstitutional action against President Asif Ali Zardari or his government but warned of protests if Zardari did not give up some powers. Political tension has been running high in Pakistan since last week when the Supreme Court threw out an amnesty that protected him, several government ministers and thousands of others from corruption charges. Zardari has faced some calls to resign but he has rejected them. He and his ruling party issued a defiant statement on the weekend, saying no members of the government would resign and condemning what they called a witch-hunt against them. Several of Zardari's aides and two of his top ministers - Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar - were also on a list of people protected by the amnesty, and they too are facing calls to quit. While some members of the main opposition party, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, have called for Zardari and the two ministers to step down, the party has been circumspect. A spokesman for the party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), said the party felt it was the 'moral duty' of Zardari and the two ministers to step down, but it was up to them."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Pakistan politicians to appeal over amnesty, BBC News, 21 December 2009
Psychology of corruption, DAWN, 21 December 2009
Court ruling paralyzes Pakistan's Zardari government, The Globe and Mail, 21 December 2009
New Zardari corruption charges: Bad news for US, TIME, 18 December 2009
Tensions mount among Pakistan leaders as anti-corruption drive revives, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 December 2009
One Pakistani institution places his faith in another, The New York Times, 18 December 2009

Related posts:
Following ban, defense minister allowed to travel; Govt dismisses coup speculation, 18 December 2009
Zardari under pressure to resign following court ruling, 17 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009
Amnesty case stirs tension, charges challenged, 7 December 2009

Following Ban, Defense Minister Allowed to Travel; Govt Dismisses Coup Speculation

 Pakistan Allows Top Official To Travel Outside Country, CNN, 18 December 2009

EXCERPT: "Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar is free to travel outside the country, Pakistan's government said Friday a day after blocking his departure and sparking a national incident. There are 53 Pakistani individuals reinstated to an Exit Control List this week which prevents them from leaving the country - but Mukhtar is not one of them, the National Accountability Bureau said. The confusion stems from a list, dating back several years, that prevented some government officials facing corruption charges from leaving the country. In October 2007, the country passed the National Reconciliation Ordinance, which provided amnesty to about 8,000 people facing various offenses, said Mohammed Afzl Sindhu, Pakistan's minister of state for law and justice. Among them were about 30 politicians. Those who had been on the Exit Control List were given amnesty and could travel. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Supreme Court struck down the ordinance. The 17-judge court said the amnesty 'seems to be against the national interest' and 'violates various provisions of the Constitution.' Following that decision, the government restored the names of 53 people to the Exit Control List, said National Accountability Bureau spokesman Ghazni Khan."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Pakistan dismisses talk of coup sparked by CNN report, Bloomberg, 18 December 2009
Pakistan travel bans spark fear of coup, The Australian, 18 December 2009
Corps commanders' moot discusses NRO, security, Daily Times, 18 December 2009
PM suspends secretary of interior, DAWN, 18 December 2009
Pakistan ministers are called before the courts, The New York Times, 18 December 2009
Fear for anti-Taliban push as graft fracas engulfs Pakistan, DAWN, 18 December 2009
Scenarios: Pakistan's latest political troubles, Reuters, 18 December 2009

Related reports:
Pakistan's fragile foundations, Council on Foreign Relations, 12 March 2009

Related posts:
Zardari under pressure to resign following court ruling, 17 December 2009
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009
Amnesty case stirs tension, charges challenged, 7 December 2009

Zardari Under Pressure to Resign Following Court Ruling

Pakistani President Loses Amnesty Shield, The Wall Street Journal, 17 December 2009

EXCERPT: "Pakistan's top court struck down a 2007 decree protecting President Asif Ali Zardari and other senior officials from past graft charges, in a ruling that could lead to a challenge to the legitimacy of his election. President Asif Ali Zardari's opponents are expected to challenge his eligibility for the presidency, based on the court's ruling. Pakistan's defense and interior ministers and some key advisers of the president were also sheltered by the amnesty decree. Many of them could now face prosecution. Mr. Zardari and other officials have denied wrongdoing. The ruling threatens to deepen turmoil in Pakistan at a time when the U.S. is counting on its help in fighting the Taliban. U.S. officials have been pressing Pakistan to expand counterinsurgency efforts in support of the troop surge across the border in Afghanistan. In a late-night decision Wednesday, a 17-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, declared the 2007 amnesty decree to be unconstitutional. It also ordered the restoration of all cases against Mr. Zardari, though as president he enjoys immunity from prosecution. Opposition politicians demanded he step down and face charges; his aides rejected the idea."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Anti-corruption body bars 248 people from leaving Pakistan, The Guardian, 17 December 2009
Pakistan party demands Zardari resignation, BBC News, 17 December 2009
Gen Kayani calls on Zardari, Daily Times, 17 December 2009
The year of decision in Pakistan [blog], Foreign Policy // The AfPak Channel, 17 December 2009
NRO list out 34 politicians among 8,000 beneficiaries, DAWN, 22 November 2009

Related posts:
At the precipice: Is Pakistan about to fail?, 10 December 2009
Pakistan leader faces court test, militant attacks, 9 December 2009
Amnesty case stirs tension, charges challenged, 7 December 2009