Hina Rabbani Khar – Criticism Trashed! – by Hifza Shah Jillani
Politics has become a part of routine life now. With much exposure and media influence, discussing politics and social issues has become much of a ‘drawing room affair’ as I’d like to put it.
With the recent hot topic, I’d like to start the discussion. Yes, it’s Hina Rabbani Khar, the much debated focus of Pakistani politics these days. Either it’s the media criticism, media flattery or the flashy photos; it has caught MUCH attention of public and common spectators.
The analysts and critiques of HRK argue on the following points that I would put forth.
First allegation towards her is that ‘She is rich. Birkins, Cavilli holding and comes from a feudal background’. What I respond to that is; since my anthropological study does not encourage me to use the term ‘Feudal’, which is a medieval European construct specifically used for South Asia, so I won’t really delve into that. She does come from a ‘Zamindari’ heritage and is quite laden in monetary and accessories terms. And so are her contemporaries of both genders in the parliament. Does that directly say that she is unable to represent the poverty driven Pakistanis? Not really. As you see all over the wide world the elected politicians from Merkel, Putin, Sarkozy to Berlusconi are far more elite than the common people of the countries they represent.
Second one goes on with something like this, ‘She is appointed to look all good and do nothing’, implying that HRK is a TOKEN Foreign Minister. Also, saying that she does not carry the flag of ‘Democracy’. My response to this one is; only her performance can support or completely negate the perception of being a token. The real substance if there is cannot stay hidden from us. Time will only tell if she can make up to that or not. As for speaking about her relation with democracy, the fact that she won the elections and made it here to the post is self evident about her democratic status.
Third critique is about her qualification. She is alleged to be inexperienced and young for the position. This is the most popular one of the critiques by the way. The fact is that she holds a Masters degree in hotel management from Massachusetts University and has attained her undergraduation from our very own LUMS. But let’s come to this, how many Foreign Ministers of Pakistan or in fact Foreign Ministers in the world actually own degrees in International Relations or Foreign Services? The ‘inexperienced and young’ bit also fails to criticize her in pragmatic essence. If we look back in history, we see Caesar, Akbar, Alexander coming to power at a very young age, in fact younger than HRK and they actually CONQUERED the world. Some statesmen were actually her age when they became politicians, including, Otto van Bismarck, Metternich and Talleyrand. Also, one of the most profound leaders of Pakistan, our very own ZA Bhutto was way younger than HRK when he was to represent Pakistan at United Nations. Her inexperience, well yes, is not enough since she has only 5 months of experience as a state minister of Foreign Affairs. I’d say just like her predecessors she will learn it over the time.
Fourth one speaks about her Political substance which says ‘She was articulate, but she lacked substance’. If spoken from an undergraduate of foreign services perspective, this is called Diplomacy. It’s all about being dull, diplomatic and safe kinds of double speak. As Professor Madeline Albright, a former secretary of state says, ‘The first duty of a statesman is that he be dull’. So I guess, yes it’s quite impressive that she is taking a safe stance on that one.
To conclude about her allegations and my response towards them I’d like to analyze the whole situation in a few words as being a closing to the brief discussion. I really do not appreciate the sexist comments and sensational lines for her that media professes, calling her ‘bomb/weapon of mass destruction of Pakistan’. It sidetracks from the whole point. Since we don’t see much of Media talking about male politician’s brands and accessories such as Saville Row/Saks Fifth Avenue tailored suits, expensive watches or cuff links, I’d say lets really look in to the crux of the issue. Her talks in India weren’t supposed to bring anything more than just CBMs. And she did make that happen. Trade with India through Kashmir has doubled up from 2 days to actually 4 days. Tourism visas will now be granted to the Kashmiris who do not come from families across the border and also to add cherry on top, the bus service will now travel across Kabul to Srinagar.
What really matters is the fact that these talks actually took place. It has been three years since the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks, that India- Pakistan relationship has steeped even more in to shadowy passages. But now, after just two weeks from a shooting incident in Mumbai, with some much plausible accusation towards a Pakistani based terrorist group, India & Pakistan are holding talks about CBMs. The point is not that it’s happening because or HRK, neither I am giving her the credits of it. But she could actually be playing a part in the entire equation somehow. The former FM, Shah M. Qureishi was claimed as being quite hawkish towards India. A new face (that has very well caught some goodwill) tends to mend the sensitive sourness that sparked a new flame after Mumbai 2008.
The newly conceived relationship, ‘Khar-Krishna’ and its meeting did somewhat meet the agenda. So to say that HRK has pretty much dealt with things in a neutral and genuine way might receive some nods up here. It is much pragmatic if we let time decide. After all, who can be a better critique than time?
Does she repersent PPP or GHQ?
You do know that praising her is indirectly praising GHQ, right?
PPP trying to take credit for her can spell disasterous for current government because as we all know that GHQ is a hound that doesn’t like sharing it’s kill!
Facts speak for themselves and mostly polishing can not hide what lies beneath, may we have a look at her counterparts from around the world? Below are some profiles of honorable ministers of different countries; evident enough to understand how much people have to learn and serve before reaching highest positions, while in this unfortunate country MERIT is primarily having a feaudal background, surely landlords with political ambitions do educate their children and they can afford it anywhere in the world, all one is required to have is to be in next to kin. We can see the results in our failures in all walks of life.
Except for Z. A. Bhutto, we have not produced one able foriegn minister, sadly he was a feudal as well, but he really had the guts and abilities and he proved it; having established relations with China, or formation of OIC are few of his diplomatic success examples.
S M Krishna
———–
Born 1932, B.A, LLB, Fulbright Scholar and Master degree in Law from USA.
MP from 1968 in 4th, 5th,7th, 8th Lok Sabha, Minister of state 1983-85, Member Rajya Sabha 1996, 2006. Speaker Karnatka Legislative Assembly and Deputy chief Minister of Karnatka, Governor of Maharashtra, now Union Cabinet Minister of External Affairs India.
Yang Jiechi
————
Born 1950, graduate Shanghai Foreign Language School, Master from University of Bath and London School of Economics, PhD History.
Started career as Second Secretary 1983, Ambassador to USA(probably) 2001-2005, Vice Minister of foreign affairs for Latin America, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, now Foreign Minister of People’s Republic of China.
Guido Westerwelle
—————–
Born 1961, graduated 1980, Studied Law from 1980 to 1987 and passed State Law examnations, a doctoral degree in Law 1994.
Began practicing as an Attorney from 1991. Joined FDP in 1980, now Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany.
Manoucher Mottaki
—————–
Born 1953, bachelors from Banglore University India, Masters in international relations from University of Tehran. Member of parliament in first Majlis after revolution, head of 7th political bureau of Foreign Ministry 1984, Ambassador to Turkey 1985, Secretary general of foreign ministry for Western European affairs 1989, deputy foreign minister for international affairs 1989, Ambassador to Japan 1994, Advisor to foreign minister 1999, head of Foreign Relations Committee of the 7th Majlis, Minister of foreign affirs of Iran
Zalmai Rassoul
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Born 1944, MD from Paris Medical School 1973, memeber of American society of Nephrology with around 30 publications in different medical journals.
Have been associated with Afghan politics and resistance, in 1980 found monthly Afghan Reality, Minister of Civil Aviation 2002, now foreign minister of Afghanistan.
Ahmad bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud
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Born 1953, B.A Cairo University, M.A Economics Central Michigan University 1981.
Third secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1976.Head of the Economic Affairs Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Qatari National Committee of Education, Culture and Science, 1983.Charge d’affairs in Qatar’s Embassy in Algeria, 1983.Qatar’s Ambassador to Sultanate of Oman, 1984-1986.Qatar’s Ambassador to the USA from 1987-1989 and Non-resident Ambassador in Mexico and Venezuela.
Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1989-1995.Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Qatar, 1996.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 1995.
Simbarashe Simbanenduku MUMBENGEGWI
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Born 1945, B.A. (Combined Honours) Degree in Politics and History at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 1971, Diploma in Education (Dip.Ed.) at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 1972.
1980-85 : Member of Parliament (MP) for the Midlands Province, 1985-90 : Member of Parliament for Shurugwi Constituency, Midlands Province,
1982 : Minister of Water Resources and Development,
1982-84 : Minister of National Housing, 1984-88 : Minister of Public Construction and National Housing, 1988-90 : Minister of Transport, 1990-95 : Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations, New York, 1990-91 : Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly
1991-92 : Member of the United Nations Security Council, 1991 : President of the United Nations Security Council at the height of the Gulf War (February)
1992 : President of the United Nations Security Council (April), 1995 : Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Permanent Representative to the European Communities (EU) Brussels, 1997-99 : Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW),the Hague
1997-99 : Member of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons(OPCW), the Hague, 1997-98 : Chairman of the Conference of the State Parties of the O.P.C.W.1998-99 : Alternate Governor of the Common Fund for Commodities, Amsterdam, 1997-98 : Chairman of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Committee on Sugar, 1989-99 : Member of ACP Troika on ACP-EU Negotiations, 1999 : Chairman of the A.C.P. Committee of Ambassadors, : Chairman of the ACP-EU Central Negotiating Group on a Post Lome IV Cooperation Agreement Beyond the year 2000, 1999-2003 : High Commissioner of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, 1999-2005 : Ambassador of the Republic Zimbabwe to the Republic of Ireland, 2003-2005 : Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, 2005 : Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, 2005 : Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Kevin Rudd
———-
Born 1957, the son of a share farmer and a nurse. He was educated at the Eumundi Primary School, Marist College Ashgrove and Nambour State High School, gained his Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) degree with First Class Honours in 1981 from the Australian National University.
Appointed to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs as a cadet diplomat. Served in the Australian embassies in Stockholm and Beijing.In 1988 Chief of Staff to the Hon Wayne Goss, the Queensland Opposition Leader. From 1991 to 1995 Director-General of the Queensland Cabinet Office.From 1996 to 1998 Senior China Consultant for KPMG Australia.In the 1998 House of Representatives seat of Griffith to which he has been re-elected in subsequent elections. 2001: Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, later adding responsibilities for International Security in 2003 and Trade in 2005.In 2006 elected Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition, 2007: Australia’s 26th Prime Minister until June 2010.Now Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
I think enough has been said about HRK ….I request the editor no more on HRK now …there are other important happening going round as the London riots our future as viable state so many things to talk about.
Yes I like Hina and her personality, she would be good FM for paksitan and we must think liberally and shun all mullah thoughts.
Thanks
Yes I like Hina and her personality, she would be good FM for pakistan and we must think liberally and shun all mullah thoughts.
Thanks
“Prof.Dr.Najeeb Haider says:
August 9, 2011 at 4:47 am
I think enough has been said about HRK ….I request the editor no more on HRK now …there are other important happening going round as the London riots our future as viable state so many things to talk about.”
Let me ask why a person like prof. Dr. Najeeb don’t get a chance to become FM as compared to HRK???
The reason is there. The defenders are highly educated (may be experienced too) than their leaders / politicians, but still they are defending them. Then Y nation complain? HRK has a feudal background and she has every right to become FM then any other competent person. We will see the “awaam” will vote Bilawal and he will win from Liyari. How can one contest election and win too besides never visited that area?? Only in Pakistan, with heavy awami mandate. Pakistani rock!!
And from the article…
“Second one goes on with something like this, ‘She is appointed to look all good and do nothing’, implying that HRK is a TOKEN Foreign Minister. Also, saying that she does not carry the flag of ‘Democracy’. My response to this one is; only her performance can support or completely negate the perception of being a token. The real substance if there is cannot stay hidden from us. Time will only tell if she can make up to that or not. As for speaking about her relation with democracy, the fact that she won the elections and made it here to the post is self evident about her democratic status.”
If PPP act first, then think about the results, please make me a FM too. What…??? I haven’t contested election…??? No problem…. Make Kashmala Tariq Our FM. Thats was a silly step taken by PPP. The most important post was handed over to novice (in that field, let me add) and now you are saying us to wait and see the outcomes. LOL!!
It is a nice and very helpful little bit of facts. Now i’m fulfilled that you just shared this useful details around. Be sure to keep people up to date like that. Many thanks sharing.