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US Should Reject Generals As
Ambassadors From Pakistan
By K. Ashraf
US Congress has cut aid to Pakistan from 540
million to 300 million to put pressure on Musharraf regime to
make it move forward towards democracy.
Is this half hearted measure enough to force
general Musharraf to return political power to civilians in
Islamabad?
We doubt cutting financial aid into half will
force the general to relinquish power and restore democracy in
the country. However, it is significant as it shows US
Congress’s interest in democracy in Pakistan. It is a great
achievement for Pakistan’s pro democracy forces working within
United States to realign US institutional polices with
democratic forces in Pakistan.
It has all happened regardless of ISI’s full
involvement to protect general Musharraf’s personal interests
within US Congress through outfits like PALC, the organization
created by ISI to restart Pakistan Caucus in the US Congress
with the idea to protect general Musharraf’s interests.
Although US Congress has taken this token
step to encourage general Musharraf to bring democracy to
Pakistan, there is still vital support for the general in
Pentagon and National Security department. Until US government’s
all branches work in unison to put pressure on him to restore
democracy in Pakistan the general is not going to budge.
Pakistan is the only Muslim country which has
a history of strong democratic movement. The people of Pakistan
have struggled for democracy through since the inception of
their country. Pakistani generals denied them their democratic
rights through out their history with the help of internal and
external anti democracy forces.
Unfortunately, US also does not have a good
record as it always showed more interest in military regimes in
Pakistan, and it really bothers Pakistanis a lot.
It means US has to play more active and
effective role to show to the people of Pakistan it’s the US
Congress has done by cutting financial aid to Pakistan in half;
and State Department officials do it time to time by issuing
statements in support of democracy in Pakistan.
The other way to show more rigorous US
displeasure is to reject generals as ambassadors from Pakistan.
During the past 57 years, many generals from
Pakistan served as ambassadors to Washington. However, one thing
is evident that US and Pakistan always had better mutual
understanding when civilian ambassadors represented Pakistan in
Washington.
Civilian ambassadors also enjoy wider support
among Pakistani Americans Diaspora. Pakistani Americans always
hop along with civilian ambassadors and work more closely with
American administration and legislature to send goodwill signals
from United States to Pakistanis back in Pakistan.
Therefore, US should start rejecting generals
as ambassadors from Pakistan to show support for democracy and
democratic forces, as a policy matter.
Ambassadors with prefixes like “general” this
and “general” that do not serve Pakistan and United States well
in Washington. Rejection of general ambassadors will also send
signal to GHQ that US is serious about democracy business in
Pakistan.
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