PRESIDENT: MHG GROUP OF COMPANIES

Ref: PER/OFF/02/001 Date: July 09, 2002

As a citizen of Pakistan and a supporter of most of your policies and actions, I would like to take this opportunity to proffer my advice for your positive consideration. I have had the pleasure of meeting you quite a few times starting from April 1999. I also subscribe to the view that your are in a pivotal position to bring about fundamental changes in the larger and long interest of the country. Your government has been instrumental in effecting a paradigm shift that has manifested into a situation where, inspite of the external constraints, external imbroglios, and external attitudes, the nation has continued the march forward.

However, there are factors that are negating the sense of achievements. These have never been tackled or addressed in the pragmatic manner because of diverse compulsions. These compulsions have a lot to do with the running of this country with more emphasis on the foreign ramifications rather than domestic imperatives. The citizens need to be taken into confidence in a more down-to-earth mode by making them part of the process. What you have to do is to make Pakistan a great country thru MOTIVATION, INSPIRATION, AND CONVICTION so that the objective is attained. I believe the following could be attempted:

1. INTERACTION

• You are a leader. You can motivate the country thru your speeches. Since bureaucratic speechwriters pen your TV speeches, they come out on TV in an unexciting fashion. You possess a knack for impromptu oration. Unfortunately, your addresses to the nation do not bring out the true emotions inside you. Your speech to the Ulema at the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi Conference was an example of grit and guts. That type of speech is required.
• Come on TV/radio once a month, wearing shalwar kamiz, sitting on a sofa, displaying a relaxed demeanor, and talk about current matters in a casual and normal way. Use street slang, use mundane words, and use good body language. It will be just like the Fireside Chats on radio that President Franklin D. Roosevelt used to keep America united. However, this is short-term. Create conditions that would make the 145 million people motivate themselves.

• I remember that when I met you at the Presidency in January 2002 alongwith a large businessmen delegation, I was sitting in the front row and I observed you closely. I heard your presentation, your responses, and your body language. This was confidence and determination at its best.

• Initiate a system where you devote four to five hours once every month to do some plain-talking with a select audience of citizens from every walk of life who are invited to Islamabad on government expenses. These people should represent all districts in the country. The Nazims could nominate them, for instance.
• The general populace holds the Armed Forces in profound reverence. The trust and adoration must be enhanced and this could be done thru the systematic promotion of social and humanitarian activities undertaken by the personnel of Armed Forces. Especially highlight Media projection of officers displaying altruism.

• Your security personnel exhibits intense paranoia and this has given the feeling that you want to stay aloof and cut off from the people. Although security of the President and Prime Minister is paramount, it has become such that even the security staff of a Nazim-e-Ala starts emulating the methods of your security detail. Please ensure that a sense of camaraderie prevails whenever you are at an event. I do not advocate free movement but there has to be a manifestation of closeness with the people.
• Charisma or even being a central player in the action arena can motivate people but a word of caution that this would not be indefinite.
• Since the Ministers are technocrats and not political-oriented, they have had difficulty in relating to the ordinary citizen. This has resulted in an intellectual chasm that has really not been filled. The economic team talks in Bretton Woods lingo while the people are tuned to the neighborhood mosque oratory. This needs to be changed. Get the Ministers to walk and talk in villages and towns and reduce the urge to talk to suited-booted intelligentsia seated in five-star hotels.

1. STATESMANSHIP

• The 9-11 scenario has catapulted you into the big leagues among the leaders of the global world. Your determination, your handling of the fall-out from this event, and your commitment to the fight against terrorism has made you a household word internationally. You have been accorded the treatment very, very few even get a whiff of during their tenure. This should be cultivated and taken advantage of in the larger interest of the nation. Continue this strategy.
• Your strong but realistic policy against the ominous border situation has endeared you to this nation. The grip should remain steadfast and there should be a two-pronged strategy with a formidable activated deterrence while world opinion be positively garnered to induce peace in the region, although not at the cost of the country's principled stand.
• Maintain the position that you want Pakistan to be an economic juggernaut within sustainable parameters and with substantial resources. Give the citizens relief that is directly related to the economic well-being and that is easily translated into pocketbook figures.

• Refrain from criticizing the exiled leaders of the two political parties. One the one hand this blatant blame throwing is being adopted while on the other hand, the defectors from these parties are being treated with majestic indulgence even though most of them have tasted the forbidden fruit with their erstwhile leaders. Let underlings take up the accusing posture.

• Take prompt and immediate action wherever and whenever a wrong is committed. Take personal charge and seldom leave it to the secondary or tertiary tiers of the hierarchy.

1. PATRIOTISM

• A nation whose citizens are in unison with common objectives, accept challenges in their daily lives, have a strong sense of patriotic emotions, feel responsibility for the outcome, and participate in the exercise for the country's economic growth will tend to sustain motivation in the long run.
• The country needs to become patriotism-oriented in a fervent sense. The fire is missing since the concentration is on identifying more in ethnic terms or parochial terms. There is an imperative need to again instill patriotism into the citizens, especially the new generation.

Excellency, I am sanguine that you would take these feelings of mine in the spirit that it was given. I believe that you have a lot to do for Pakistan and I am sure that you would forge ahead. Almighty Allah willing, we shall be the best. Let the forward march go on.

With personal and warm regards.

Sincerely: