Who is more worst! Tunisian or Pakistani President???

In response to of recent public protest in Tunisia , the president declared a state of emergency in the country, dissolved the government and promised new legislative elections within six months. But on January 14, 2011 Prime Minister went on state television to say he was assuming power in Tunisia and long running president has to quit from his office and state under people’s pressure.

Reasons of turmoil in Tunisia

The unrest began after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.

Ben Ali as President has been in power for last 23 years and last elections was his fifth election.

Ben Ali has  repute fluctuated between progressive and authoritarianism during his 20 years as president of Tunisia. While the nation is now among the most developed in Africa.

Ben Ali and his family are known for their corruption , which is why there have been recent protest all across Tunisia protesting the theft of Tunisian wealth, and lack of opportunities for average Tunisians.

As President, Ben Ali had given economic reforms that have strengthened Tunisia’s economy and increased foreign investment. Since he ascended to the office of President, Tunisia’s per capita GDP more than tripled from $1,201 in 1986 to $3,786 in 2008.Due to drought and lackluster tourism,  it touched its lowest  side and created stir in public.

Despite of his corruption scandals he committed to fight poverty at home, Ben Ali instituted reforms including the National Solidarity Fund which slashed the Tunisian poverty rate from 7.4% in 1990 to an estimated 3.8% in 2005.However, Tunisia continues to suffer from a high unemployment, especially among youth. Left out of the recent prosperity were many rural and urban poor, including small businesses facing the world market. His mistake of  blocking of free speech was a cause of  mass protest and produced  worst unrest  in the country

His response to the Islamic threat was prompt and the mosques were not to open their doors beyond the normal prayer hours, and veils were prohibited at schools and workplaces.

The press is under strict police surveillance, to the point that human rights organizations have denounced the regime and its restrictions, which extend even to books and the Internet.

Ben Ali has been successively known to make his nation one of the most Europe-friendly in the Arab world. He also managed to sustain consistent and significant growth in the nation. In 1995, Tunisia became the first nation south of the Mediterranean to sign a free trade accord with the Europe.

The main reasons of his down fall are

• He was considered an important Western ally in the so-called “war on terror”. Ben Ali, like the majority of the Arab dictators, have taken advantage of the American government’s strong desire to build relationships with new allies to fight Al-Qaida and related groups.

• He had put more restrictions on freedom of expression and heavily controlled Internet access.

• He mostly  focused in his longest tenures on increasing their own wealth and his  family members through questionable business dealings and favoritism. He acted more like a Mafia putting his hands on the majority of profitable businesses in the country.

Pakistani people can easily compare the performance chart of Pakistani Presidents like Zardari and Musharraf with Ben Ali  working styles

So such few reasons are also found abundant in Pakistani’s presidents of past and present  with all kind of legitimate proofs .They don’t get fame of wrong doing alone but their all friends in power sharing are popular in country with same repute but the million rupees question is  where we as nation are standing?

Tunisian people have taken edge on us who first ,ignited and then  united to  stand against rule of one person show controlling them more than 20 years.

Moral Lesson

It is my desire  that such kind of  political moves should produce stir in Muslim countries where public is behaving like sheep against their leaders who are  implement serious political chaos  and uneconomical reforms.We should  see more of this type of popular uprising in other neighboring and Muslim countries as a leading example of people’s power Then it  would be only a matter of time and no body will stop this wind of peaceful change which is now blowing in Tunisia.

Such movement give me  hope  that oppressed people all over the Muslim World can gather their lost or  undeveloped courage to stand against illegitimate rulers who are more abide to foreign masters than working for their country . Whether Western countries or their allies in the region like or not, this wind, with the help of the powerful media, will eventually affect the all these countries whose people are thirsty for democracy and justice.

Western powers only intrude in  our houses and affairs due to failure and greed  of our leadership.In case of people’s pressure they can’t dare to stop any kind of popular public demand grow from grass-roots level.That was the reason, despite of all unlikeliness  US and Pak army had no choice left to restore judiciary along with restoration of  Ch Iftikahr as they could withstand  against one of popular public uprising of Pakistan.