Editorial: The News - 06 June 2013

Many a tall hurdle


Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, has made history. He becomes the first person to serve for the third time as the prime minister of Pakistan. Returning to the National Assembly after an interval of 13 years and nearly eight months, Nawaz Sharif claimed his place in the prime minister’s office with style, claiming 244 votes out of the 342 available. As he has already said, the simple majority won by his party in the lower house will make the task of governance easier than if coalition formation had been involved. But we speak only in relative terms. There can be no denying the fact that running the country will not be an easy business. In his first speech to the house after claiming the most votes, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif referred to some of the problems that lay ahead – mentioning the drone strikes, and issues of extremism and law and order. Undoubtedly, unravelling the web that entangles our country will be no easy affair. The federal cabinet, which will assume its role as the chief decision-making body of government, under the stewardship of Nawaz who brings with him plenty of experience, will undoubtedly face a difficult time.

We can, however, take heart from some of the spirit shown in parliament. The air was generally one of camaraderie, with representatives of parties congratulating Nawaz Sharif and wishing him well for the future. A slightly sour note was struck by the Pakistan People’s Party’s Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who seemed to suggest that the ‘agencies’ had also played a role in the PML-N’s overwhelming victory. Such conspiracy theories are unlikely to be believed by many, and certainly other leaders stayed clear of them, with many looking to PM Nawaz to set the country on the right track. Whether he will be able to do so or not is something that remains to be seen. There are many tall hurdles standing along an endless track. But the PML-N leader seems more committed than ever, a reflection of which was the sombre way he conducted himself at the ceremony. The prime minister’s speech too indicated a sincere desire to change the fate of the country. We hope the government he forms will be able to put together the plans required to achieve this, and then begin moving forward to usher in real change. The process is undoubtedly strewn with multiple challenges. But Nawaz Sharif has spelled out much of what is required in the first sequence of events. We can only hope that for the sake of Pakistan and all of us, now that he has taken oath, PM Nawaz Sharif can embark on this difficult journey as quickly and effectively as possible.
 
Price of war

Many factors contribute to the enfeebled state of the nation, and the entire blame for our current condition cannot be laid at the door of the last government. Since 9/11 Pakistan has been drawn ever deeper into the so-called ‘war on terror’ and the full cost of our involvement in a war we did not seek to fight is beginning to emerge. The figures – not yet finalised – will in all likelihood be included in the upcoming Economic Survey 2012-13. Over the course of the last 12 years, the various sectors of the economy have experienced losses that might be close to $100 billion – a staggering sum. Equally staggering, but in the other direction, is the size – or lack of size – of the recompense that Pakistan has received, totalling about $15 billion or around 14 percent of what was actually lost from the economy up to fiscal year 2010-11.

Two years ago the US government estimated that the war in Afghanistan was costing about $300 million a day, a figure that will reduce dramatically as the draw-down continues. It does, however, put into perspective the compensation Pakistan has received. In purely fiscal terms the war costs the US about $2 billion a week, or $8 billion a month. Over a decade Pakistan has received slightly less than the value of two months of war fighting from the US. And this sum is no reflection of the human costs – the thousands of lives lost, and a casualty list that outweighs that of the combined coalition forces over the entire duration of the conflict, with little sign these are going to drop in the short-to-medium term. The war has put the brakes on our economic growth. Foreign investment has been adversely affected proportional to the deterioration in the security environment and western governments have limited travel to Pakistan by potential entrepreneurs and investors. The cost to the economy in the fiscal year 2010-11 is estimated to have risen to $17.8 billion. From that perspective the US has managed to use Pakistan’s services very cheaply indeed. It will be many years before the conflict subsides, if indeed it ever does completely fade away. The price of a war we never wanted will be a burden for decades, and mere money never adequate recompense.