Pakistan likely to regret coup

The generals of Pakistan have done a great disservice to their country by overthrowing the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf no doubt has the best interest of his country at heart. He has criticized both the corruption and poverty of Pakistan, and he is probably right on most of his complaints. But it is unlikely that Pakistan will emerge from his martial rule better off than it is today. It could end up a lot worse.

Every nation in the region, and in fact around the world, has a stake in Pakistan. The ill-considered decision by Islamabad last year to follow India and become a nuclear power has made Pakistan a country which must be observed closely.

So far as Thailand and our neighbors are concerned, here is the situation. Pakistan is ruled by an authoritarian dictator, who has seized power from an elected government by force. Islamabad, as a nuclear power, already greatly concerned us, and now gives more cause for concern. We trust the Pakistani military to keep the nuclear weapons safe -- but we certainly do not trust them to make decisions about their use.

Pakistan under Mr. Sharif was far from perfect. It did, however, have a government which was formally answerable to its people. Now it does not. Gen. Musharraf gives us no confidence that Pakistan under him will become more secure, more reliable, more rational or -- certainly -- more democratic. The fact that Pakistan's army has ruled the country for half of its independent existence is not impressive.

What is missing is the necessary, credible commitment by the military to get out of the business of governing, and into the business of obeying a civilian regime.

All nations must now make it clear to Pakistan that its military regime is unacceptable. Business as usual is not possible with Islamabad until clear steps are taken to restore democracy. The small minded and unimaginative decision to become a nuclear state has made it imperative that Pakistan have a government answerable for its actions.

-- The Bangkok Post