religious and secular'. I said, 'you don't have that problem in Pakistan because both parties are moderate'. Then she asked me, 'shall we make 'Nelson Mandela' Asif Zardari prime minister of Pakistan'? I said, 'that is your call madam'. Ameen Faheem was sitting next to her and listening to this conversation.
I asked the same question about forming broad base government with PPP to Shabaz Sharif in the same London restaurant. I told him that you have been in PPP before so shouldn't be a problem. Shabaz Sharif said, 'we are working closely'. After three years of bumpy rides both parties still have a chance to form a broad base government i.e. sharing office of Prime Minister and Presidency alternatively for half term each.
As far as the restoration of judiciary is concerned government should restore them without any further delay and mend the fences. There is no doubt that Mr Zardari has been unfair, unfaithful with Nawaz Sharif and the nation.
Zardari's fears about his money and cases are genuine but all those who deposited their loot money in foreign accounts never been able to use them? Benazir Bhutto and Zardari's assets worth more than $2 billion according to Saifurahman and NAB figure are around $1.2bn. Raja Bashir of The Pakistani National Accountability Bureau told The Guardian that, "Ms Bhutto has 26 bank accounts, 14 properties and total assets of one billion sterling pounds abroad ($2bn). We are very glad that other countries are cooperating with us."
In 1981 the Nawaz Sharif's family business group "Ittefaq's" turn over was Rs. 337 million, but by 1987 it had soared to at least Rs.2500 million, according to the group's own accounts. Within four years Ittefaq had become one of the wealthiest private industrial groups in Pakistan . One can imagine the miraculous growth in the assets of billions in 2008. Investing in politics is not bad business at all in Pakistan?
According to Asia Week, Rehman Malik, Zardari's close ally produced 200-page report of Nawaz Shariff's corruption. The secret document was leaked to the London-based Observer newspaper published details of alleged corruption involving the MNS and his family. According to the report, the Sharif family obtained loans from Pakistani state banks for business purposes and illegally converted the money into foreign exchange worth at least $66 million.
On the other hand "The personal wealth of Musharaf's key generals is estimated at Birtish Pound 3.5m a head. And Musharraf himself, who has a combined salary of Birtish Pound 700 a month for his jobs as president and army chief, has acquired a real-estate portfolio worth Birtish Pound 5m;, according to The Guardian's report, "The plot to bring back Benazir" published on 21st July 2007.
Pakistan's army is a voluntary force unlike 'politics of rich and elite'; every body can join the army and may be after the 30+ years of service an officer become a general, others retires as they go along their careers. Pakistan's military and nuclear assets are the main target of the enemies and so called friends. Bashing of Pakistan's military both as an institution and its generals for both right and wrong reasons is quite fashionable.
But those like MM Ahmad, Zafarullah Khan and Traiq Aziz, who instrumented signing of the one sided agreements like SEATO and SENTO without reading, acted with criminal negligence similarly who are jumping after becoming non NATO ally. These agreements do not worth more than paper it is signed. One do not run a grocery shop the way so called larders and politicians are running Pakistan's stately affairs.
As far as Mr Zardari's reported psychiatric problems are concerned, one should be sympathetic with him. He should not be discriminated due to his mental health problems and mental capacity. His lawyers should submit his full risk assessment and psychiatric review to the Election Commission as evidence to prove his full recovery from mental illness, fitness certificate of 'Back to Work'. Unfortunately 'dementia' (shirking of brain) is irreversible and full recovery is almost impossible.
Though Zardari is formally diagnosed and treated for mental health problems but according to a senior journalist, 'He will not be the first leader of Pakistan with mental health problems'.
(Dr Shahid Qureshi is senior award wining investigative journalist and writer on security, foreign policy, and terrorism based in London)