IIAS Newsletter 49 | Autumn 2008 | free of charge | published by IIAS | P.O. Box 9515 | 2300 RA Leiden | The Netherlands | T +31-71-527 2227 | F +31-71-527 4162 | [email protected] | www.iias.nl Photo courtesy of Kristoffel Lieten 49 Pakistan Crises of governance . pp. 22 - 25 Pakistan is currently faced with an intense combination of tensions, feudal land reform reposed rural resources on the upper peasantry, the support base which in certain spheres is breaking into outright conflict, threatening of Congress. both the viability of the Pakistani state and the economic sustainability Emergence of a ‘hydraulic society’ of its people. Imran Ali examines this rapidly evolving situation and Historical processes under colonialism had retarded the emergence of national- analyses the underlying factors and issues that have created and ism in the Pakistan area. The most potent development had been the emergence of a subsequently aggravated these problems. ‘hydraulic society’, through the construc- tion of an extensive network of perennial Imran Ali one, unlike the territory that became India, canals. By controlling the settlement of new the Pakistan area had a weakly developed lands through agricultural colonisation, The multiple crises that are rapidly envel- and unstructured nationalist movement. and then through centralised irrigation oping state and society in Pakistan are the No political organisation even remotely management, the colonial state began to product of various longer term and shorter comparable to the Indian National Con- exercise a much greater degree of author- term influences. One major contributing gress had emerged in the Muslim majority ity and control than in the rain-fed agricul- factor is the role of Western imperialism, areas of British India. The Muslim League tural societies in the rest of India. The land and its interactions with Pakistan’s crisis had remained the representative of a con- was allotted to the rural elite and to the of governance. This relationship needs to fined section, the Muslim landed elite, landholding peasant lineages. The lower be assessed in two contexts: The first is in Sindh and Baluchistan. In the Punjab, caste rural masses were almost completely the more endemic problem of Pakistan’s it was denied even this status. It was not excluded from obtaining occupancy rights continuing semi-colonial position; and the until the climactic moments of decoloni- in the new agricultural tracts. Moreover, second is the invasion and occupation of sation that a malcontent landlord faction large reservations of land for military func- Afghanistan and the subsequent extension propelled the League into Punjab politics tions and soldier settlement, as well as the of hostilities into Pakistan. by seeking the assistance of M.A. Jinnah, coercive, ‘hydraulic’ authority of the civil who was to become Pakistan’s founding bureaucracy, firmly established the eco- On the first aspect, the sustainability of the father. The weakness of the freedom strug- nomic and institutional basis for the con- narrative of 1947 as the watershed sepa- gle led to the failure to dilute the hold of tinued resilience of the authoritarian state Kristoffel Lieten’s theme on Pakistan provides us with a timely look at this complex and troubled land. pp. 1 - 10 ‘Stilled to silence at 500 metres’: James C. Scott tries make sense of historical change in Southeast Asia. pp. 12 + 13 Akiyoshi and Oliver Moore; plus a Portrait: Lessons in early Japanese photography from Tani glimpse of a recent exhibition on Indians in Singapore with Vidya Murthy New for Review + Bookmarked: pp. 26 27 rating colonial rule from an independent the upper agrarian hierarchy on power in in post-1947 Pakistan. In addition, the exit Pakistan is now highly questionable. For Pakistan, unlike India where a rapid anti- of almost the entire professional and com- continued on page 4 > THEME P a k i s t a n continued from page 1 > mercial bourgeoisie to India, owing to its civilian administration were dominated even more porous, its society awash with spread into Pakistan, thereby endanger- under the weight of public sentiment, non-Muslim composition, removed from by politicians emerging under a military guns and drugs, and its accountability ing its own peace and security. Already, she appeared to change her approach the new state a class of people who could aegis. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, later a populist systems further undermined. The military the Swat valley had been taken over by to the ‘war on terror’ and question the have advocated democratic and modern- leader, commenced his political career as leadership discovered the attractions of militants, intent upon enforcing Shariah. military’s counter-insurgency policies: a ising institutions. Social scientists have a cabinet member in the Ayub Khan dic- easy corruption money and real estate While the militants forced Islamisation change of heart that probably proved to failed to recognise the depth of Pakistan’s tatorship. His commitment to democratic acquisition, while public functionaries and and a range of guerilla tactics, the Pakistan be her death sentence. Her assassination historical continuities, thereby tending to institutions was questionable; he rather political intermediaries took rent seeking military was being pressurised to kill its in late December 2007 threw the country misconstrue the source and nature of its preferred civilian authoritarianism with to historically unprecedented levels. own people. There was a perception that into further turmoil, with widespread pub- present-day authoritarian structures. military backing. Nawaz Sharif was spon- these militants, along with the numerous lic disobedience, especially in Sindh. The sored by the Zia ul-Haq dictatorship. The The Afghan agony was even more severe suicide bombings within the country, were assumption of party leadership by her hus- That these structures remained ancillary prime minister in the 2008 People’s Party than the costs to Pakistan, adding to the being sponsored by an Indian-Afghan axis, band, Asif Ali Zardari, provided a further and subservient to a continuing neo-colo- government, Yusuf Raza Gillani, himself million odd killed during the Soviet aggres- perhaps with tacit Western support, aimed twist to the convoluted history of dynastic nial dependency, was explicated in the emerged as a political appointee under sion. Having secured the main prize of at destabilising Pakistan. politics in south Asia. Nevertheless, after a post-1947 period. Pakistan’s failure to Zia. The mafia-type Muhajir Qaumi Move- Soviet collapse, the Americans vanished short postponement, elections were held maintain a non-aligned position in world ment has links to Pakistan’s controversial from the scene. From what once was its External threats have combined with inter- in February 2008. By that time ex-prime affairs was accompanied by its member- Inter-Services Intelligence, in addition to largest operation outside its headquarters nal contradictions to exacerbate Pakistan’s minister Nawaz Sharif had also been ship of military combinations sponsored its active collaboration with the Mushar- in Washington, USAID did not leave even a problems of governance and sustainability. allowed to return to the country; and his by the US, such as the South-East Asian raf dictatorship. Moreover, there has been counter open in Islamabad. The people of On each occasion, military rule has been party, Muslim League (N), together with and the Central Treaty Organizations undeniable support by the military, and Afghanistan were left exposed to warlord followed by a grave crisis: the break-up the People’s Party won a resounding elec- (SEATO and CENTO). The components of earlier by the Americans, for the religious conflict and then to medievalist Taliban of the country after Ayub, and the crimi- toral victory. Musharraf’s supporters were the British Indian Army inherited by Paki- extremist parties, which have played a rule, with its own set of distortions. The nalised politics and economic downturn badly beaten, denoting a popular rejection after Zia. Musharraf’s legacy appears to be of the incumbent dictator. no less damaging. A seemingly endemic shortfall in energy generation, the inability Musharraf’s fall from grace has been to commence construction of the Kalabagh attributed to increasingly adverse eco- Dam, thus foregoing the cheaper hydro- nomic conditions, the wrangle with the electrical option, exacerbating the scarcity judiciary, and to his uncritical support for of irrigation water, hamper both industrial the ‘war on terror’. However, the People’s investment and agrarian production. Party leadership, living under the spectre Major inflationary pressure has followed, of corruption, also appeared reluctant with shortages and maldistribution in food to move against him, thereby increasing commodities, thanks to hoarding, smug- public frustration and placing the coali- gling and price speculation. The involve- tion with Nawaz Sharif in jeopardy. Finally, ment even of members of Musharraf’s threatened with impeachment, Musharraf federal cabinet effectively impeded efforts resigned on August 18, 2008. Soon there- to rectify these malpractices. Economic after, on August 25, the Nawaz Muslim management fell into disarray and busi- League decided to terminate its coalition nessmen rushed into stock market and with the PPP, accusing it of delaying the real estate speculation. Moreover, both the restoration of the sacked judges. Mean- trade deficit and foreign debt had