Hassan Abbas

AP Photo

March 4, 2008

"Police Reforms: Agenda of Change"

Op-Ed, The International News, (Pakistan)

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"...Besides leading to bad governance and a deplorable law and order situation in the country, police failures also have compounded the threat of religious extremism and terrorism. Poor data collection on crime and criminals and inadequate analytical capabilities hamper effective law enforcement. In many instances, banned militant organisations continued with their publications and in some cases wanted criminals, and terrorists changed their party affiliations (hurriedly joining groups that were not under government scrutiny after theirs were banned) and the police remained clueless. Here the police was also handicapped as many militant groups were producing "freedom fighters" for Kashmir and Afghanistan and had working relations with the intelligences services, and hence police officials were reluctant to go after some of these elements thinking that they might be the assets of some "other state institution." Things are reported to be progressively changing in this sphere lately, but the serious challenge remains...."

AP Photo

February 25, 2008

"Security and Intelligence"

Op-Ed, The International News, (Pakistan)

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"The Pakistani Army positively contributed towards the holding of free elections on Feb 18, but it cannot be expected to do the job of law enforcement endlessly. Dependence on the military for such tasks ultimately persuades its leadership to increase the army’s involvement in the political domain, and in the process that follows such thinking, Pakistan loses many years. Generals like Waheed Kakar and Jahangir Karamat are rare, and given some recent developments it seems that Pakistan is lucky to have another of their kind in the form of the new chief, Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. This golden opportunity should not be lost (like before) to nurture and groom civilian institutions to stand on their own feet."

AP Photo

February 19, 2008

"Pakistan Elections: A Clear Verdict"

Op-Ed, The Guardian, Comment is Free...

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"As for Musharraf, he is living in a fool's paradise if he thinks he is going to be a father figure to the next prime minister of Pakistan. The new government will be under tremendous public pressure to bring back the deposed judges, and that could sound a death knell for the Musharraf presidency. For the army, which is distancing itself from Musharraf already, institutional interests, saving prestige and influence, will be more important than rescuing a president who continues to shoot himself in the foot. The west in general — and Britain and the US in particular — must show patience while democratic forces settle; at least as much patience as they showed with military dictators. This is the very least that the people of Pakistan earned yesterday."

AP Photo

December 31, 2007

"Musharraf Cannot Escape All Blame"

Op-Ed, The Australian

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"...Pakistan has lost a desperately needed leader. With Pakistan's future in the balance, the West's help and support will be crucial, but that means recognising that Musharraf is not the only leader who can resolve Pakistan's many problems and manage the war on terror. On the contrary, by nurturing the present environment of instability and uncertainty, Musharraf himself must be regarded as one of Pakistan's biggest problems."

December 31, 2007

"The Elections Must Go Ahead"

Op-Ed, The Guardian, Comment is Free...

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Without credible elections, restoration of the independent judiciary and effective curbs on the activities of the country's intelligence agencies in internal affairs, Pakistan cannot be rescued from a certain slide into more chaos. Pakistan's history is full of cover-ups and Bhutto's murder is proving to be no different.

November 17, 2007

"The Broken Promises of Military Rule"

Op-Ed, Boston Globe

By Susan Banki and Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"WHEN TWO of Asia's most prominent female politicians are under house arrest at the same time, it's easy to draw parallels. The scary part: comparing the off and on detention of Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto with the longstanding house arrest of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma makes Pakistan look good. But in both cases, this is no time for complacency on the part of the international community...."

AP Photo

November 6, 2007

"Pervez Out of Order: Pakistani Strongman Suspends Constitution"

Op-Ed, Boston Herald

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

"...Rather than taking responsibility for the deteriorating security situation (as evidenced by suicide bomb attacks) and the increasing Talibanization of the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, Musharraf has blamed the judiciary and media.

Musharraf’s popular support is at its lowest ebb. Pakistan’s armed forces — repeated targets of suicide bombers — have become demoralized. It is difficult to imagine them standing with Musharraf should civil conflict erupt. Nor can a weak, embattled, Musharraf be expected to fight Islamic militancy effectively or bring political stability to Pakistan...."

June 11, 2007

"Musharraf's Party is Over"

Op-Ed, National Interest

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

The hundreds of thousands of ordinary Pakistanis euphorically chanting in the streets in support of Iftikhar Chaudhry, the suspended chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, demonstrate that Pakistan has outgrown Pervez Musharraf’s transitional leadership....

February 4, 2007

Peace in FATA: ANP Can Be Counted On

Op-Ed, Statesman, (Pakistan)

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

September 26, 2006

Inside Story of Musharraf-Mahmood Tussle

Op-Ed, Daily Times, (Pakistan)

By Hassan Abbas, Former Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs