Articles

by Amjad Malik on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 2:30am

Rescinding the military leadership contracts on account of their response in Memogate case is an action though denied by Pakistani premier still it carries serious implications and repercussions as outlined by the news story on 26 December, 2011, later affirmed by New York Times. This standoff cannot be allowed to continue longer. Security establishment has taken a stand on ‘Memogate’ and its terms offered to United States which carry a national security element.

Pakistan is a unique case as it resents normal diplomatic terms with its best business partners as well as neighbors. The US and Afghanistan collectively account for one-forth for Pakistan’s total exports and Pakistan is fast deteriorating its terms with these countries. With granting of MFN status to India, a silver lining is now seen on the horizon of an otherwise anti-business foreign and security policy. While trade implications of this reciprocal policy gesture towards Pakistan’s arch rival are disputed, its political consequences can be predicted more precisely.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah envisaged Pakistan as a modern democratic state. Threatened by a deadly insurgency in the northwestern tribal areas linked to the American-led war in Afghanistan, and rent by conflict between and within the elected and non-elected institutions, Pakistan today could not be further away from its founder’s vision.

The disregard shown to the rule of law by successive governments, military and civil, is an unconscionable blot on the legacy of the great constitutionalist lawyer, whose memory is invoked with ritualistic fervour.

ISLAMABAD: About 20% of Pakistanis suffer from various mental health problems, but the government has devised no strategy to tackle them.

There is also a need to regulate treatment centres for addicts as most are being run by nonprofessional staffers that just make a bad situation worse.

These views were shared by Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Psychiatry Department head Professor Dr Rizwan Taj on Saturday at a workshop, “Mind and Health”, here at a hotel.