On Jinnah, Democracy, Leadership & Current Affairs in Pakistan

An Interview with the Honorary Sharifuddin Pirzada

I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Sharifuddin Pirzada who served as former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Attorney General, Senior Advocate to the Supreme Court, member of the first National Security Council of Pakistan and an Advisor (with a rank of  Federal Minister) to various Pakistan PMs. He also served as  secretary to Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali JInnah and held position as the only Pakistani to serve as Secretary General at the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Click Here to Watch the Interview

Q & A BREAKDOWN

PAST LEADERS: Jinnah

1. 2:39 – 3:17 – Former BJP Parliamentarian Jaswant Singh authored a book on Jinnah that is receiving a lot of controversy, having actually worked with Jinnah, can you share your thoughts on the book ?
2. 3:20 – 4:42 –  In recent interviews, Singh has said Muslims in India are “robbed of their psychological security” and basically downtrodden. He says what Jinnah should have done is left some advice for Indian Muslims who stayed back and didn’t migrate to Pakistan after partition, what do you think Jinnah might have said?
3. 4:44-6:01 – He also refers to Jinnah as a “nationalist” not at all Anti-Indian, please expand
4. 6:01-7:34 – Referring to politics, when Jinnah split from the Congress party eventually formulating a two state idea later in his career, were there any politics referring to Nehru or Gandhi that had an impact on decision making? Jaswant Singh makes a mention to some, what does your experience tell us?
5. 7:35: – 8:15 –  You’ve mentioned previously that Jinnah was a self made man, more details?
6. 8:15 –  8:55 : Tell us about your experience with Jinnah, its a rare treat for us to have your insight
7. 8: 55 – 9:22 – Further details, conclusion on Jinnah.

“Jinnah had the Charm of Churchill, Dignity of de Gaulle, Magnetism of Mandela, and Objectivity of Obama”

CURRENT LEADERS : Musharraf

1. 9:23 – 10:47 – Shifting to current leaders now, lets talk about Musharraf. You’ve got great experience, tell us about your work with the former General and Leader of Pakistan.
2. 10:48 – 11:55 – How did your work with Musharraf expand during his tenure?
3. 12:56 – 13:45 – You served on the national security council &  as senior advisor to Gen. Musharraf, tell us howthe context of national security in Pakistan changed after 9/11. Specifically what came on the agenda, what were the immediate concerns and interests and what drove the decision to behave the way Pakistan did at the time?
4. 13:45 – 15:48 – Recent polls indicate a majority of pakistanis think Musharraf should be punished for treason as per laws under article 6 of the Constitution, how do you feel about that?
5. 15:48 – 14:55 – Do you think it’s a valid case that Musharraf be tried for treason?
6. 14:54 – 15:38 – Regarding an increasingly free media in Pakistan, please offer further insight
7. 15:38 – 16:16 – There’s a contention that the currently free media be attributed to Benazir Bhutto’s regime wherein sateilite technology allowing expanded media was put in place, while others assign credit to Musharraf. Can you clarify this?
8. 16:16 – 18:39 –   Do you think it was the state of emergency and sacking of the judiciary that caused Musharraf to lose elections?
9. 18:42 – 19:35 – Final question on Musharraf, what do you think his legacy would be?

“The Media is very free in Pakistan, and Musharraf is to be given a great deal of credit for that”

CURRENT LEADERS : Zardari

1. 19:48 – 20:55 – Recent military achievements in SWAT and international trade deals penned by Zardari paint a somewhat rosy picture for the future, what are your thoughts on him so far?

US – PAKISTAN RELATIONS:

1. 20:57 – 23:14 – There’s a US special envoy in the region, drone attacks continue, the west is pushing for rapid democratization and are heavily investing in counterterrorism through cooperation with Pakistan while Islamabad hopes to secure itself and expand economically in this engagement. But there’s a long history of cooperation but still a lot of skepticism on both sides, do you think current engagement with a new administration who promises more diplomacy will yield different results than we’ve seen in this alliance?
2. 23:14 – 24:52 – What advice might you offer President Obama or the State department in terms of engaging Pakistan?

“Pakistan was member of SEATO and CENTO but certain conditions were not fulfilled and there is a strong section of Pakistan who has reservations with a cordial relationship with the United States”

PAKISTAN & THE MUSLIM WORLD

1. 24:55 – 25:11 – Your position at the Organization of Islamic Conference?
2. 25:13 – 25:57 – On the Israeli Palestinian issue, how do you assess the current two state solution that Obama has put forward? How viable is it?
3. 25:57 – 26:25 – What is Pakistan’s diplomatic/official stance on the Israeli Palestinian Issue?e Islamic Conference
4. 12:25 – 26:35 – What are the main priorities of the Organization of the Islamic Conference?

“The Palestinian Issue followed by Kashmir are of top priority to the Organization of Islamic Conference”

PAKISTAN BORDER RELATIONS : INDIA & AFGHANISTAN:

1. 26:35 – 27:42 – Manmohan Singh & Prime Minister Gilani at the NAAM summit this summer agreed to bracket issues of Terrorism and move forward on peace talks and trade issues. Such rhetoric is not new, and might not reach fruition, so do you see anything being resolved in Kashmir anytime soon, without the help of the US?
2. 27:44 – 28:44 – Elections in Afghanistan are being contested between Abdullah Abdullah and incumbent Karzai. Pakistan doesn’t seem keen on either because both signal a warming of relations between Kabul & New Delhi which is believed to come at a direct expense to Islamabad. How do you feel about that?

America can facilitate peace talks between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, but on the whole, people of Kashmir are still suffering and struggling.  The approach of prime ministers has been positive, but an extremist element in India exists which doesn’t want this. To stop suffering in Kashmir, a solution must be reached.

PAKISTAN’S INTERNATIONAL FUTURE:

1. 28:44 – How do you see geopolitics playing out in the next decade for Pakistan, given amplified US presence, including super embassies being constructed in Pakistan/Afghanistan, perpetually stalled relations with India, a very likely nuclear neighbor in Iran, and increasingly influential China and polarized Russia, what does Pakistan look like ten years from now?

“Pakistan in the next ten years must concentrate on democratic set up, economic development & maintaining cordial relatoins with Islamic countries. There are two great friends of Pakistan: Saudi Arabia, the other is China. That’s a good starting point”