Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani's address to the Council on Foreign Relations was a historic event in so many ways. It was his first-ever interaction with a US think tank as Prime Minister.
No doubt the prime minister read out his well-written speech without any major flaws in which Pakistan's viewpoint was advocated nicely. But during the Question-Answer session, his performance as a leader, as an advocate of Pakistan and as prime minister was disappointing for the select audience of about 300 people.
Following is set of cross questions that HE was involved in.
The Question-Answer session began with a question by the CFR President Richard Haas about the current challenges and Pakistan's willingness and ability to face it.
Reacting to the Prime Minister's detached response, Richard Haas said, "Let me then come back to the question somewhat differently. Pakistan obviously faces tremendous problems in terms of internal security, which you spoke of in your speech. The fact that the problem has grown to the extent it has, that it's become as bad as it has, is this because of the weakness of the state of Pakistan? Is this because historically the state has been unwilling to take on these challenges? Why has Pakistan, in a sense, gotten into the security challenge that it faces?
What the Prime Minister told the highly knowledgeable select audience, in response to the question is the following:
GILANI: "That we have inherited. This is not the problem of only these three to four months, because you are also fighting the war in Afghanistan for the last five years, and you can also see -- realise the difficulties you are facing. And this is not a war which is a normal war. It is a guerrilla war. And nobody is trained for a guerrilla war. But certainly now we have a challenge and with God Almighty's blessing, we will be able to overcome the problems."
HAASS: Again, it seems to me that to attribute so much of the domestic political history of Pakistan to the United States, we could argue the history, but it also seems to me potentially dangerous, simply because I think you exaggerate our influence. And I would think that there need to be questions the Pakistanis raise for themselves about political culture in Pakistan, about the role of the army.
It's as much a statement as a question. You don't have to answer that. But since you alluded to it, let me take it one step further here, which is, you obviously inherited a situation where you have a former general, now President Musharraf, in power. Is this a situation that you believe is sustainable? Is this something that you believe can be continued in a way that is consistent with the growth of democracy, or do you see Mr. Musharraf staying in office as somehow inconsistent with the future of Pakistani democracy?
GILANI: Actually, you are considering Mr. Musharraf as a president of the United States. This is not the case, because there is a parliamentary form of government; here is a presidential form of government. And you can compare me with Gordon Brown, the prime minister of U.K., or --
HAASS: I hope your political numbers are higher. (Laughter.)
GILANI: -- no, no -- and Manmohan Singh, who is the prime minister of India. Therefore, we have inherited the Westminster system, a parliamentary form of government where the chief executive is the prime minister and not the president.
HAASS: I understand.
Let me ask the question a different way, then -- (laughter) -- beyond President Musharraf, which is whether you think now in the army there is a broader acceptance of a more limited role for the army. Do you think now the coming generation of army officers accepts the notion that their proper role is in the barracks rather than in politics?
GILANI: Certainly, yes. Because of the February 18 election of this year, we have a mandate to the moderate forces, to the democratic forces in Pakistan. And the moderate forces and the democratic forces, they have formed the government. And therefore the people have voted against dictatorship and for democracy -- the chief of the army staff is highly professional and is fully supporting the democracy.
Read the full interview here
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