Democracy in Pakistan

In your story on new democracies (Part A, March 25), your staff writers Robin Wright and Jim Mann make a number of flimsy and unsubstantiated charges against the Pakistan government.

For instance, when discussing the perceived rise in corruption during this government’s tenure, your writers fail to provide a shred of evidence. Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has repeatedly offered to sack any member of her government against whom a corruption charge is proved. Trial by allegation is neither fair nor is it practiced in any democratic nation.

You quote an unnamed analyst as saying that Ms. Bhutto is “. . . politicking, not governing. . . .” Allow me to dispel this impression by quoting from the Jan. 8 issue of the IMF Survey: “. . . the Pakistan Government has made a commendable start in tackling many of the country’s financial and structural problems. A number of further, broad-based measures are being implemented in the current fiscal year and others are scheduled for 1990/91 and thereafter. These measures are expected to correct financial imbalances . . . while putting Pakistan on a more balanced and sustainable economic growth path.” Not a bad end-of-year report on somebody your “analyst” says is “not a good manager.”

Your writers then go on to speculate at some length on the stability and durability of this government. The recent PPP victory in a crucial Lahore by-election suggests that popular support is still intact, and there is no reason to doubt Ms. Bhutto’s ability to govern for the remainder of her term.

I would like to assure your readers that in Pakistan democracy is alive and well.

IRFAN HUSAIN

Minister of Information

Pakistan Embassy

Washington, D.C.