January 1, 2002

JAVED Jabbar is known to people as a multi-layered personality. He combines in him a number of diverse qualities, such as, the skills of politics, journalism, advertising, film making, and social work. He is a prolific writer whose writings have a vast vista of topics. Storms and rainbows is his recent book which is a collection of articles and speeches on various issues spanning the period 1995-2000.

These years, according to the author, were quite significant as some drastic changes were taking place on the national and regional scenes. In Pakistan four different governments brought some crucial changes in the political texture of the country. There were some significant events which created ripples at the regional level. For instance, there were the nuclear tests in May 1998, the Lahore declaration in February 1999, the Kargil crisis in May-July 1999 and then the exit of Nawaz Sharif’s government.

Though the book is a collection of diverse articles, the writer has tried to create a structure for the book by organizing the articles under different sections. These are: Pakistan-Bangladesh bonds; Caretaker government 1996-97; Security issues; Constitutional perspectives; Development; Personalities; Media and IT; Regional themes; and Prism.

In most of these articles the writer argues out his case logically. He takes pains to accumulate the relevant data to support his thesis. The author builds his case systematically and then leaves it to the readers to accept or reject. The style is simple, rational and direct. In the first article of the book that is based on Jabbar’s visit to Bangladesh, he compares the electronic media policy of Pakistan and Bangladesh, “The two former partners still share the same outmoded systems for electronic media. When it’s time for news and current affairs, radio and TV in both countries are like the personal property of the ruling party.”

“A minister’s diary: the first 15 days” vividly portrays the initial days of a minister in Pakistan. This description is imbued with fine humour, “Everything just speeds up soon after taking charge. Telephone calls multiply at a rate faster than the country’s population. Visitors increase. With prior appointments. Without advance warning.” This very interesting article, though, closes on a sombre note, “Suddenly the time available for my family shrinks to too little. Is public office not too high a price to pay for what is most precious? “Short tenures, long shadows talks about the political upheavals of Pakistan and gives a painful historical account of toppling of governments and installed caretaker cabinets. The article then focuses on some basic functions the 1997 caretaker government which, according to the author, was obliged to fulfil as a part of its legitimate and constitutional duty to the people of Pakistan.

The book contains an interesting article on the formation of the Council for Defence and National Security (CDNS). This issue had generated heated discussion in the political circles of Pakistan. The author makes a powerful case in favour of such a council. To support his viewpoint he gleans examples from a number of countries. Most of the caretaker governments face a tremendous pressure from the public and opposition leaders on the issue of accountability (specially of the dethroned government). Being a part of quite a few caretaker governments the author is fully aware of the complexities of the process.

He states that the process of accountability is not a straightforward process which can be completed in a short period of time. The author argues, “The principal facet of accountability on a world-wide basis is that there is not a single instance in over 180 nation-states where accountability has been enforced through civil, legal and peaceful means in anything less than years and months of preparations for trial in the courts.”

The section on security issues contains articles that deal with different aspects of security. There are some useful analyses of the option of nuclear weapons. The author suggests that in the post-nuclear tests period, “...it is in the supreme national interest of Pakistan to formulate an aggressive, activist policy of peace diplomacy that convinces the world of our sincere and consistent commitment to a nuclear-free world.” A couple of articles in this section are dedicated to Kashmir and the Kargil issues.

The section on personalities focuses on five personalities, namely, Murtaza Bhutto, Farooq Leghari, Nikhil Chakarwartty, Mahbubul Haq, and Altaf Gauhar. The article on Murtaza Bhutto gives an honest opinion of him. The author while admiring his good qualities also criticizes Murtaza on some issues. The article on Farooq Leghari shows the writer’s deep association with Mr Leghari in whose cabinet the writer was a minister. The article on the whole justifies most of the actions of Mr Leghari but suggests that even he made errors or was responsible for mismanagement, e.g., he gave assent to the fourteenth constitutional amendment and to the Anti-Terrorism Act which did not deserve endorsement.

The wide range of the topics covered in the book is amazing. Some articles, however, appear dated, having been written on a specific issue, which would have been very topical at the time of writing, but are not relevance now. Similarly some articles which were basically speeches on a specific occasion are not so pertinent either and could have been excluded. On the whole, the book is both interesting and informative.

 

Storms and rainbows

By Javed Jabbar

Summit Media, Karachi.

Available at Royal Book Company, BG-5, Rex Centre Basement, Zaibunnisa Street, Karachi-74400 Tel: 021-568 4244

Email: royalbook@hotmail.com

ISBN 969-407-260-3

332pp. Rs495

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