Leader in the presidency

Pakistan is a country politically fragmented, socially disillusioned, ideologically divided and economically devastated.

The general elections held on February 8 did not help reduce these dilemmas. Currently, the political elite of the country are busy in the process of government formation. The knowledge that the language of reconciliation needs to be spoken among politicians has now become colloquial, as hyper-partisanship and polarization embed themselves deeper into the crevices of our societal faults.

In this situation, what the people need is a sense of unification, of which the president is a living manifestation. As the sole ray of light visible at the end of the tunnel, the post of the president has the authority and capacity to take healing measures. Unfortunately, the President House has for some time been devoid of an inhabitant that can do justice to the history encapsulated within the historic walls that have housed dictators and democrats alike.

Throughout the various decades our country has witnessed, the office of the president has acted as the focal point of power, exuding dominance over its parliamentary counterparts. This dynamic experienced a metamorphic change with the introduction of the 18th Amendment of the constitution of Pakistan. This revolutionary document, with its share of admirers and critics, is the undeniable evidence that the parliament of the country can achieve even the most unfathomable of goals given the determination.

This effort was preceded by the first reconciliatory document of our political history, the brainchild of former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. The Charter of Democracy acted not only as the driving force for the measures taken by the first elected government of the country that could complete its five-year term, but also as a precedent for political dialogue with even one’s nemesis. In the recently held electoral campaigns, references to the creation of a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ were made by the young leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. While the inception of one is awaited, this is an auspicious omen for those waiting for their unaddressed wounds to be healed – wounds that are festering with each passing day.

The present circumstances call for an intervention in the conventional tendencies of those in power, and out-of-the-box solutions and unorthodox approaches towards the problems facing citizens. This can only be guaranteed when there is a paradigm shift in the way we define ourselves. Pakistan has been built on agrarian land, with love for the soil carried by each heart that is born on it.

This is the definition that needs to be fully realized, as we have to begin playing by our strengths. While looming buildings and architectural marvels could be any country’s assets, only a numbered few are fortunate to be home to lush fields. However, this affirmation alone does not contain the key that can help close the Pandora’s Box of the potentially calamitous challenges faced by our country.

The country has time and again fallen prey to extremism and terrorism, with certain regions turning ungovernable at different intervals. We have seen these threats amplify to the extent that terrorists came knocking at the entrances of the location that is the very symbol of the federation, the capital city of Islamabad. The northern regions have experienced no less horror, and great sacrifices have been laid by our courageous countrymen.

The country’s flag has shrouded the coffins of over 70, 000 brave soldiers and policemen along with innocent civilians who have served us till their last breath. Our political leadership too has accepted martyrdom. The country has also experienced debilitating economic turmoil, meandering through global recessions, instability, and fluctuating policies. Recent climate catastrophes have further rung the alarm bells, acting as a garnish to the assortment of quandaries we face.

Pakistan cannot afford a gamble on its future, and what comes as reassuring news is Asif Ali Zardari taking over the post of the president. Once the most influential president in the country’s history with unmitigated authority at his disposal, Asif Ali Zardari had not only relayed most if not all of his powers to parliament, but also led his political counterparts by example.

This acted as a direct denunciation of the damaging notion that politicians can only ever harbour hunger for power, not compassion for the democratic system and the people living in it. Zardari’s continued efforts for improved multifaceted relations among political actors have added to his credibility as a politician. Even his greatest rivals admit to his skills in the cutthroat realm of politics, further proof of the respect he has earned among his colleagues.

The statistics speak for themselves when it comes to how the country fared under his guidance after 2008, with exports totaling high numbers by the end of his tenure. The head of an agrarian state being an agriculturist himself is a message that will put Pakistan back on the map when it comes to its unbeatable produce. If the past is any indicator of determining the future, then Asif Ali Zardari has not only the potential, but also the intention to change the fate of the people for the better. In the days to come, the President House will be home to a leader at last.

The writer is an engineer.