The Guardian

Zardari issues rallying cry[1] for democracy in Pakistan amid coup fears

The embattled[2] president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, on Tuesday used a speech on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, to issue a firm challenge to those within the unstable south Asian nation who wish to unseat[3] him.

The 56-year-old president told tens of thousands of people gathered at the Bhutto family shrine at Garhi Khuda Baksh in the southern Sindh province that the best way to pay tribute to his late wife, killed while campaigning in elections in 2007, was "to defend and protect democracy and democratic institutions in the country and foil[4] all conspiracies against it".

The speech was Zardari's first public appearance since returning last week from Dubai where he had been receiving medical treatment for a suspected minor stroke and comes amid a welter[5] of speculation that Pakistan's powerful military, which has ruled the country for much of its 64-year independent existence, is about to step in.

Zardari told the crowd that Bhutto's assassins "may have succeeded in eliminating her physically but [her] ideas and ideals … shall never be killed".

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[1] a phrase or an idea that is used to encourage people to support somebody/something

[2] surrounded by problems and difficulties

[3] remove somebody from a position of power

[4] stop something from happening, especially something illegal; to prevent somebody from doing something

[5] a large number of unpleasant things

Relations between Zardari, who became president in the wake of his wife's death, and the military have always been tense but have deteriorated significantly in recent months. Senior officers believe Zardari or close aides[1] penned a leaked unsigned – and unauthenticated – memo appealing to Washington for aid in heading off[2] a military coup earlier this year. Hearings into the affair are being held by Pakistan's supreme court and could seriously destabilise the government.

Aides of Zardari privately[3] claim the senior judiciary are acting in concert with[4] senior military officers to force the president out. In a jibe at[5] judges, Zardari raised the unsolved case of his wife's assassination in his speech.

Both elected and military officials have appeared to back away from confrontation in recent days however. General Ashfaq Kayani, the chief of army staff and the most senior soldier in the country, has, via a military spokesman, denied any intention to mount[6] a coup.

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[1] a person who helps another person, especially a politician, in their job

[2] take action in order to prevent something from happening

[3] confined to those intimately concerned

[4] working together with somebody/something

[5] an unkind or insulting remark about somebody

[6] organize and begin something

On Monday Yusuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, denied domestic media reports that he was planning to sack both Kayani and the head of the main Pakistani military spy service, the ISI, saying the military supported democracy.

One senior official in the ruling Pakistan People's party, founded by Benazir Bhutto's father, said on Tuesday that there was no question of the president resigning, whatever the pressure.

"He's a fighter. He's not going anywhere," the official said.

Zardari is deeply unpopular in Pakistan where he is blamed for failing to contain[1] violent extremism, take measures to improve a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy or act to halt rapid economic decline. Imran Khan, the cricketer turned conservative[2] politician, has capitalised on[3] this widespread disaffection.[4] At least 100,000 people demonstrated their support for his Tehrik-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice) party at a weekend rally in Karachi that cements his standing as a serious political force and increases pressure on the government. However, Khan will have to contest[5] with the power of the Bhutto name, which though diminishing remains strong in Pakistan.

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[1] prevent something harmful from spreading or getting worse

[2] opposed to great or sudden social change; showing that you prefer traditional styles and values

[3] gain a further advantage for yourself from a situation

[4] disloyalty to the government or to established authority; isolation

[5] take part in a competition, election, etc. and try to win it

The introduction of Bilawal Bhutto – the political crown prince[1] of the dynasty[2] – to voters has been accelerated[3] since the illness of his father. In an article published in a local newspaper on Monday, the 23-year-old Oxford graduate called on his countrymen to "remain committed to the evolution of a democratic Pakistan and reject the calls for confrontation between institutions".

The instability in Pakistan comes at a bad time for Washington. America's own relations with the Pakistani military are at a low ebb[4] after a series of crises in the last 12 months.

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[1] (in some countries) a prince who will become king when the present king or queen dies

[2] a series of rulers of a country who all belong to the same family

[3] to happen or to make something happen faster or earlier than expected

[4] in a poor state; worse than usual

US-Pakistan disarray

Just how grim[1] is the state of the US-Pakistan relationship was made clear by comments from America’s highest-ranking military officer in Washington on Friday. In the words of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Martin Dempsey, the relationship is “a mess”[2]. His words were blunt,[3] but should come as no surprise. The Pakistan military is clearly convinced that its soldiers were intentionally attacked, a stance Gen Dempsey called “incomprehensible”. The head of Pakistan’s military operations, in briefings to lawmakers[4] on Thursday, apparently made no bones about[5] this belief that the Nato strike was deliberate and perhaps even pre-planned. Theoretically such an idea would imply the end of any alliance there may have been.

But while the militaries continue to talk at[6] each other, the governments finally seem to be talking to each other. After its initial uproar,[7] the Pakistani administration appears to have decided it is time to dial the tension down a notch.[8] Reports emerging from Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s meeting with the American ambassador indicate that the Pakistan government has signalled a desire to move on from the incident, even if that involves reshaping the terms of cooperation. And while there was some tough talk from the prime minister during his meeting with Gen Kayani on Friday, in recent days he too has toned down[9] his rhetoric[10] and acknowledged the reality that the relationship is an important one.

(Adapted from Dawn, 10 December 2011)

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[1] unpleasant and depressing

[2] a difficult situation with a lot of problems

[3] very direct; saying exactly what you think without trying to be polite

[4] a person in government who makes the laws of a country; legislator

[5] was honest and open about

[6] speak to somebody without listening to what they say in reply

[7] angry public criticism

[8] calm down, or decrease in intensity; reduce

[9] soften; moderate; make less extreme or offensive

[10] a style of speaking or writing that is intended to influence people

Papers – Dec 30st 2011

Pakistan’s febrile[1] politics

Open spats

The president returns—to a viper’s[2] nest partly of his own making

Dec 31st 2011 | ISLAMABAD | from the print edition

ON DECEMBER 19th the president of Pakistan, Asif Zardari, returned to the country after a two-week absence in Dubai. Officially, Mr Zardari had been getting treatment for a mild stroke.[3] But the belief was growing that the army was forcing him into exile.

For the time being, Mr Zardari’s return appears to have scotched[4] these rumours. Still, his troubles have not gone away. They include a scandal over a leaked memo that drew the president into an open spat[5] with the country’s military establishment; a political opposition pressing him hard for early elections; a dire[6] economy; and imploding[7] relations with the United States. Perhaps the mere survival of the government, led by Mr Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), for almost four years is a feat[8] of sorts.[9] But the government has achieved pitifully[10] little, while the ruling cabal[11] has lined its pockets[12] with gusto.[13]

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[1] extremely active, or too excited, imaginative or emotional

[2] a small poisonous snake

[3] a sudden serious illness when a blood vessel (= tube) in the brain bursts or is blocked, which can cause death or the loss of the ability to move or to speak clearly

[4] stop something from happening

[5] a short argument or disagreement about something unimportant

[6] very serious or extreme

[7] fail suddenly and completely

[8] an action or a piece of work that needs skill, strength or courage

[9] used when you are saying that something is not a good example of a particular type of thing

[10] not deserving respect; poor

[11] a small group of people who are involved in secret plans to get political power

[12] get richer or make somebody richer, especially by taking unfair advantage of a situation or by being dishonest

[13] enthusiasm and energy in doing something

With the president determined to hang on,[1] the armed forces, which seem incapable of staying out of politics, have a problem. They want to be rid of Mr Zardari, but they do not want to stage another coup. Nor do they want to see the opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif, come to power, since they do not trust him.

Mr Zardari knows that if he tries to sack the army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, then he may well get the coup he fears. Mr Sharif, meanwhile, wants to force[2] elections (not due until February 2013) without playing into the hands of the generals. There is what Cyril Almeida, a columnist, describes as a Mexican standoff.[3]

The opposition lacks the numbers in parliament to impeach[4] Mr Zardari. And so the action has moved to the courts in looking for grounds on which to pursue[5] him, even though it is unclear how a sitting president’s constitutional immunity[6] from prosecution[7] might be circumvented.[8]

After the president’s return from Dubai, his prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, spoke openly of coup fears for the first time, claiming that “conspiracies are being hatched[9] here to pack up[10] the elected government”; the army should not act as a “state within the state”.

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[1] continue doing something in difficult circumstances

[2] make somebody do something that they do not want to do; compel

[3] a Mexican standoff is most precisely a confrontation between three opponents, facing each other; a situation in which no one can emerge as a clear winner

[4] charge an important public figure with a serious crime

[5] follow or chase somebody/something, especially in order to catch them

[6] the state of being protected from something

[7] the process of trying to prove in court that somebody is guilty of a crime (= of prosecuting them)

[8] find a way of avoiding a difficulty or a rule

[9] create a plan or an idea, especially in secret

[10] stop working

The army’s tactic[1] appears to be to apply pressure until Mr Zardari snaps,[2] or at least to weaken his government so that it can merely limp on until a more agreeable administration can somehow be installed.[3] At the heart of the current coercion is a labyrinthine[4] scandal in which the government is accused of plotting against its own armed forces, by making a “treacherous”[5] offer to the United States that took the form of a mysterious memo. These days in Pakistan, America is regarded more as an enemy than as the ally it is supposed to be.

The anonymous memo was delivered in May to America’s top brass.[6] It offered to rein in Pakistan’s armed forces in return for more robust[7] American support for the civilian government. The messenger was a Pakistani-American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz. He claimed to be acting on the instructions of Pakistan’s then ambassador to Washington, DC, Husain Haqqani.

In November Mr Haqqani, who was close to Mr Zardari, was fired over the claims, which he denies. Pakistan’s activist[8] Supreme Court has taken up “Memogate”. Although the government has asked the court to dismiss the “non-issue”, the army demands that the judges investigate the matter fully. On December 27th, the fourth anniversary of the death of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, Mr Zardari demanded to know why the courts hounding[9] him were not going after the assassins instead.

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[1] the particular method you use to achieve something

[2] speak or say something in an impatient, usually angry, voice

[3] put somebody in a new position of authority, often with an official ceremony

[4] complex; complicated; a complicated series of paths, which it is difficult to find your way through

[5] intending to harm you; deceitful

[6] the people who are in the most important positions in a company, an organization, etc.

[7] strong and not likely to fail or become weak

[8] someone who works hard doing practical things to achieve social or political change

[9] keep following somebody and not leave them alone, especially in order to get something from them or ask them questions; harass

Memogate is also about Pakistan’s troubled alliance with America, one that seems unlikely to recover from body blows it has received in the past year. The latest was a “friendly-fire”[1] assault by American helicopters on a Pakistani border post with Afghanistan, in which two-dozen Pakistani soldiers were killed. Americans are coming to terms with the fact that a broad, decade-long security relationship with Pakistan, seen as essential to producing stability in Afghanistan, is coming to a close with little to show for it.

Into all this has charged[2] a cricketer-turned-politician. Imran Khan has spent 15 years in the political wilderness, but in the past few months he has gained huge momentum.[3] On December 25th Mr Khan staged the second blockbuster[4] rally in as many months, in the volatile[5] city of Karachi. He is riding high[6] on an anti-corruption and anti-American agenda. Many believe that the army would like to see Mr Khan come to power, and that it may be providing him with help. In recent weeks Mr Khan has gathered around him a gang of army-friendly defectors[7] from other political parties. Chalk up[8] one more challenge for Mr Zardari.

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[1] in a war, if people are killed or injured by friendly fire, they are hit by a bomb or weapon that is fired by their own side

[2] rush forward and attack somebody/something

[3] the ability to keep increasing or developing

[4] something very successful, especially a very successful book or film/movie

[5] likely to change suddenly; easily becoming dangerous; unstable

[6] be successful or very confident

[7] rebel; apostate; deserter; a person who has defected

[8] achieve or record a success, points in a game, etc

Dawn 29 Dec 2011

Beyond the mandate

ASMA Jahangir, legal counsel[1] of Husain Haqqani in the memo[2] hearings in the Supreme Court, may have had in mind a robust[3] defence of her client while making strong statements about the political role of the ISI but her remarks in Courtroom No 1 on Tuesday are worth reflecting on in a wider context. Also, while ‘memogate’ may have pitched[4] the elected government against the powerful army, the hearings in the Supreme Court could become a way of addressing hitherto[5] taboo[6] subjects, such as the responsibilities of the ISI, official and otherwise. The rub[7] of the present matter is that the ISI appears to have ‘investigated’ its own political leadership and determined that the political leadership has grave charges to answer. In fact, from the statements of ISI chief Lt Gen Pasha filed in the Supreme Court, it would appear that the army prima facie[8] believes the allegations of Mansoor Ijaz regarding the role of Husain Haqqani, and someone more senior to him on the civilian side, in the drafting of the now-infamous memo.

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[1] a lawyer or group of lawyers representing somebody in court

[2] an official note from one person to another in the same organization

[3] strong and full of determination; showing that you are sure about what you are doing or saying; vigorous

[4] throw somebody/something with force

[5] until now; until the particular time you are talking about

[6] a general agreement not to do something or talk about something

[7] a problem or difficulty

[8] at first sight (= based on what seems to be the truth when first seen or heard)

Did the ISI itself transgress official boundaries in the present instance? Also, what is the ISI’s legal mandate[1]: is it a counter-intelligence[2] and external-oriented organisation or does it have a more expansive[3] domestic role? Part of the problem is historical. While there is some irony[4] that the PPP’s founder, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, is believed to have given the ISI a larger role and ingress[5] into domestic politics, the real boost for the organisation proved to be the Afghan war in the 1980s. Organising and equipping the Afghan jihadis while serving the domestic needs of dictator Ziaul Haq, the ISI was an infinitely more fearsome[6] institution at the end of the ’80s than it was at the start. By the time the so-called decade of democracy rolled around[7], the ISI was confident and capable enough to aggressively intervene in the democratic process. As the self-appointed custodians of the national interest, the army and the ISI established their own rules that only as a matter of convenience appeared to fit into the scheme of a constitutional democracy.

Inevitably, perhaps, the courts also must shoulder[8] some of the blame. Had the verdict in the Asghar Khan case, which looked into the manipulation[9] of elections by the ISI in the 1990s, been handed down,[10] the hearings into the memo affair may not have become necessary. Having said that, the present hearing could be used to try and establish the mandate and parameters[11] of the ISI.

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[1] authorization

[2] secret action taken by a country to prevent an enemy country from finding out its secrets, for example by giving them false information; the department of a government, etc. that is responsible for this; efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them

[3] including many things or a large area

[4] the amusing or strange aspect of a situation that is very different from what you expect

[5] the right to enter a place

[6] making people feel very frightened

[7] arrive

[8] accept the responsibility for something

[9] behavior that influences someone or controls something in a clever or dishonest way

[10] announce; officially give a decision/statement, etc.

[11] a limit that affects how something can be done