Former Pakistan ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani has said that Pakistani civilians will have to 'step up to the plate' if they wish to see an end to the Pakistani military's role in domestic politics and its influence on the country's security and foreign policies.
"I think that Pakistan's civilians have to step up to the plate. As civilians clarify their own worldview [and] make it obvious as to where they disagree or differ from the traditional paradigm that has been defined by military officers in the past, Pakistan will be able to move away from military dominance," the Daily Times quoted Haqqani, as saying, during an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
"Pakistan has suffered a lot from the military's political role. The military's political role is not only when it takes over the country, but also when it tries to define what is good for the country and what is not. That job should rest with parliament, with the Pakistani media, with open debate, [and] with civil society," he added.
Haqqani also said that the full US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 would have a disastrous impact on Pakistan, adding that the US cannot afford to "leave Afghanistan in a state of chaos."
"The United States cannot afford to leave Afghanistan in a state of chaos. If it does, the fallout for Pakistan is going to be disastrous. It is in Pakistan's interest to have a stable Afghanistan. The disagreement [between the United States and Pakistan] that we see sometimes is on the definition of what constitutes a stable Afghanistan," he said.
On the 2013 parliamentary elections in Pakistan, Haqqani said that whatever maybe the outcome, he hopes that democracy continues to flourish in the nation and treads a path towards progress.
"I hope that whatever the outcome of Pakistan's next elections, democracy continues to flourish and Pakistan's politics become more mature and reach a point where, instead of just fighting the battles of yesterday, Pakistan's politicians also start addressing the issues of today and tomorrow," he said. (ANI)
Source: http://www.pakistannews.net/index.php/sid/209617677/scat/8c3d7d78943a99c7
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