Pakistan is moving ahead democratically and as well as in the terms of the rule of law.
Interview with Irfan Shahzad of the Institute of Policy Studies in Islamabad by Yekaterina Kudashkina
So, what implications do you see because many experts are pointing to a risk of increased insecurity inside the country?
Well, the implications are mostly positive I should say. The rulers from now onwards will have to think a number of times before defying and denying the orders of the court. They will have to comply with the orders of judiciary from now onwards. But some slightly negative implications may be that some of the political forces within the country may utilize such a situation to get sympathies for themselves from the voters and they may present the situation related to the verdict against the former Prime Minister as something being done against democracy.
Sir, if I get it right the court decision of disqualification is backdated all the way to the 26th of April. So, what happens to the decisions made by Mr. Gilani between the 26th of April and this time?
Actually the court order is silent about that. But as far as the legal and constitutional experts are concerned, they are quite clear that all the major decisions made by Gilani and his cabinet, they are nullified with this decision of the court. But still there is a way out that the Parliament can give some legal covers to the decisions of national and international importance that were made during this period. So, the Parliament can give them a legal cover.
Sir, in that case what actually happens to the interim agreements achieved with the United States as to the Pakistani involvement in the pullout of the NATO forces from Afghanistan?
As far as Pakistan-US relations are concerned many of the things have been done and are continuing to be doing without any written agreement. So, in that case I don’t think that will matter much.
What implications do you see for the Pakistan People’s Party in general?
It is a big blow for Pakistan People’s Party. They were actually looking for some kind of political martyrdom but in fact they have not succeeded in achieving that objective. They have been exposed to the people of Pakistan that they were trying to corner judiciary. But at the same time there is one small segment of voters that can be attracted to them under the basis of sympathies that they get because of this verdict.
Do you think that the case of Mr. Zardari in Switzerland is going to be proceeded?
We should not forget that whatever happens Mr. Zardari now has just one year left of his ten years of power and it is not a long period.
Do I get you right that he is ineligible for re-election?
He is, but his action is one of the most difficult political happenings to be in Pakistan in present settings. And we should hope that the case against him will be reopened in due course of time and the looted money of Pakistan will be brought back.
What about the new candidate for the Prime Minister post Mr. Makhdoom Shahabuddin? What kind of person is he? What kind of political figure is he?
He is one of the few good people inside the ruling party we must say. He enjoys a kind of reputation of being a good economic manager as well as a good politician. But of course his interests are linked with the interests of the leadership of the Pakistan political party in the present times. So, you cannot hope any betterment during his short ten years.
The Pakistani People’s Party has been developing good relations with one of the Pakistani’s main international partners which is China. So, do you see that the Chinese are going perhaps to continue with their support for the PPP?
I must make it clear that I have been interacting with China at different levels myself. The relationship between Pakistan and China is by no means limited to any political government or even political or military government. So, Pakistan-China relationship will remain on course no matter what happens politically in Pakistan. If China is supporting the Pakistan People’s Party right now they are supporting the People’s Party as the Government of Pakistan. No matter which government takes place in Pakistan, China will continue to support that government.
And how would the situation affect the Pakistani relations with the United States in general?
Well, actually the United States wants the present rulers to continue because they have been going the United States’ line regularly for the last four years. We cannot say that if the PMLN or some other party takes power the situation will become drastically different. But of course there should be some Pakistani perspective emerging also. But as far as the People’s Party is there in place we do not see any major change in Pakistan-US relations.
Sir, thank you so much. And just to remind you our guest speaker this time was Irfan Shahzad lead coordinator at the Institute of Policy Studies in Islamabad.
Well, the implications are mostly positive I should say. The rulers from now onwards will have to think a number of times before defying and denying the orders of the court. They will have to comply with the orders of judiciary from now onwards. But some slightly negative implications may be that some of the political forces within the country may utilize such a situation to get sympathies for themselves from the voters and they may present the situation related to the verdict against the former Prime Minister as something being done against democracy.
Sir, if I get it right the court decision of disqualification is backdated all the way to the 26th of April. So, what happens to the decisions made by Mr. Gilani between the 26th of April and this time?
Actually the court order is silent about that. But as far as the legal and constitutional experts are concerned, they are quite clear that all the major decisions made by Gilani and his cabinet, they are nullified with this decision of the court. But still there is a way out that the Parliament can give some legal covers to the decisions of national and international importance that were made during this period. So, the Parliament can give them a legal cover.
Sir, in that case what actually happens to the interim agreements achieved with the United States as to the Pakistani involvement in the pullout of the NATO forces from Afghanistan?
As far as Pakistan-US relations are concerned many of the things have been done and are continuing to be doing without any written agreement. So, in that case I don’t think that will matter much.
What implications do you see for the Pakistan People’s Party in general?
It is a big blow for Pakistan People’s Party. They were actually looking for some kind of political martyrdom but in fact they have not succeeded in achieving that objective. They have been exposed to the people of Pakistan that they were trying to corner judiciary. But at the same time there is one small segment of voters that can be attracted to them under the basis of sympathies that they get because of this verdict.
Do you think that the case of Mr. Zardari in Switzerland is going to be proceeded?
We should not forget that whatever happens Mr. Zardari now has just one year left of his ten years of power and it is not a long period.
Do I get you right that he is ineligible for re-election?
He is, but his action is one of the most difficult political happenings to be in Pakistan in present settings. And we should hope that the case against him will be reopened in due course of time and the looted money of Pakistan will be brought back.
What about the new candidate for the Prime Minister post Mr. Makhdoom Shahabuddin? What kind of person is he? What kind of political figure is he?
He is one of the few good people inside the ruling party we must say. He enjoys a kind of reputation of being a good economic manager as well as a good politician. But of course his interests are linked with the interests of the leadership of the Pakistan political party in the present times. So, you cannot hope any betterment during his short ten years.
The Pakistani People’s Party has been developing good relations with one of the Pakistani’s main international partners which is China. So, do you see that the Chinese are going perhaps to continue with their support for the PPP?
I must make it clear that I have been interacting with China at different levels myself. The relationship between Pakistan and China is by no means limited to any political government or even political or military government. So, Pakistan-China relationship will remain on course no matter what happens politically in Pakistan. If China is supporting the Pakistan People’s Party right now they are supporting the People’s Party as the Government of Pakistan. No matter which government takes place in Pakistan, China will continue to support that government.
And how would the situation affect the Pakistani relations with the United States in general?
Well, actually the United States wants the present rulers to continue because they have been going the United States’ line regularly for the last four years. We cannot say that if the PMLN or some other party takes power the situation will become drastically different. But of course there should be some Pakistani perspective emerging also. But as far as the People’s Party is there in place we do not see any major change in Pakistan-US relations.
Sir, thank you so much. And just to remind you our guest speaker this time was Irfan Shahzad lead coordinator at the Institute of Policy Studies in Islamabad.
Yekaterina Kudashkina is the author and presenter at the Voice of Russia, Russia's first internationally broadcasted Radio. On air since 1929.
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