A New Order in Pakistan

The recent military coup in Pakistan raises grave questions of stability in one of the most war-prone regions of the world. Although some Pakistanis have welcomed the removal of an unpopular prime minister, the world has correctly condemned the military's seizure of power and suspension of constitutional process. The new rulers of Pakistan have pledged to reduce tensions with their nuclear-armed neighbor India and return the country to elected government; they must do so quickly and prevent the country from slipping back into dictatorial rule.

The Oct. 13 coup ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had replaced (and may have attempted to murder) the head of the armed forces, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf has presented the coup as a temporary interlude to reform a clearly corrupt government before a future return to democracy; he has pledged to restore efficiency and accountability, as well as support religious tolerance among feuding Muslim factions. So far, the coup appears to be relatively popular within Pakistan.

Although Musharraf may promise more efficiency than Sharif's administration delivered, the international community has rightly criticized the coup. Regardless of its stated intentions, the army is not accountable to the people of Pakistan, and the new rulers, even if currently popular, must provide a quick transition to the rule of law.

Sanctions have already been threatened against Pakistan: the European Union has pledged to cut off all non-humanitarian aid if a plan is not presented for returning to democratic rule, and the United States has tightened the already-severe measures which had followed Pakistan's nuclear tests. These sanctions had convinced Sharif to take the unpopular step of withdrawing troops from the disputed province of Kashmir, and we hope that they will help convice Musharraf to relinquish power after implementing his reforms.

The coup is especially alarming in light of recent tensions between Pakistan and India, both newly declared nuclear powers, over the disputed territory of Kashmir. The Indian military was put on high alert when the coup occurred. To defuse potential conflict, Musharraf has wisely announced a unilateral reduction in troop levels on the border.

Now that both sides have nuclear arms, it is imperative that they avoid escalation of the conflict. Both India and Pakistan had been considering signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty before its rejection by the U.S. Senate. Before the coup, Pakistan's foreign minister had warned of the dangers an arms race could pose, and the treaty had been seen as a means of mutual restraint. It is now unclear whether the two will sign the treaty to cease nuclear tests and avoid a destabilizing arms race.

The coup also provides a lesson for the United States and other nations which support democracy abroad. People in Pakistan celebrated the overthrow of a democratically elected government because it was rife with corruption and inefficiency. Without the rule of law, democracy becomes nothing but a system of legalized corruption in which elections periodically replace old grafters with new. We hope that Pakistan will soon achieve a responsible, accountable system of government under which the citizens will not associate democracy with inefficiency and long for a military savior.