Pakistan

Political instability: Alarm bells go off in the West as situation worsens

Key western countries closely watching developments unfold; say instability could hamper campaign against terrorism.

Kamran Yousaf January 04, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Key western countries, including the United States, are closely watching developments unfold on Pakistan’s political scenario and have expressed fears that political instability could hamper the campaign against terrorism in the region.

A decision by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to quit the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government has pushed the country into a serious political crisis, as theoretically Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s administration has lost its majority in the National Assembly.

Unprecedented developments have set off alarm bells in western countries which have high stakes in Pakistan.

“This is the last thing we want … a political mess in Pakistan,” said a western diplomat.

“We are facing a difficult situation in Afghanistan and 2011 is crucial for us … if the situation worsens in Pakistan, things will become very complicated,” warned the diplomat, who wished not to be identified.

Other diplomatic missions have similar apprehensions. “We are monitoring the developments very closely and we hope things remain under control,” a US diplomat told The Express Tribune.

The diplomat said an amicable solution to the current political crisis was not only important for the west’s battle against extremism but also vital for Pakistan’s own interest.

Political uncertainty, analysts say, may distract the government from more pressing issues, ranging from economic woes to militancy.

It also comes at a time when the Obama administration is pushing Pakistan to do more to turn the tide in Afghanistan, although security is largely the purview of the country’s powerful military.

“We do not want Pakistan to be preoccupied with political issues to the extent where it gets distracted from the real problems,” the US diplomat said.

However, he hoped Pakistan’s political system had the resilience to overcome the current challenge.

“We also understand that democracy is evolving here. We don’t want to speculate at this stage,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (8)

Munnabhai | 13 years ago | Reply I agree with the observations of Mr/Ms MAD, but would rewrite the response as "What's the big deal? We will go to polls again (as long as Uncle Sam donates moolah!" Poor Uncle Sam! On the verge of bankruptcy himself, he is borrowing from Uncle Wen & pouring the RMBs into the bottomless pit that is Pakistan!!

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply I suspect the realist are concluding that there isn't much difference between the militant Taliban and the rest of Pakistan. Can't go a week without some mosque bombing, assassination, or mass protest demanding the right to execute a Christian for saying something offensive. . Religious extremism and xenophobia are a bad combination but they have flourished in Pakistan.