TARIK JAN To say that Pakistan is in a clutch would still be an understatement. India is raucous at our plight while the US is all toothy on the mental calibre of an "ally" turned sucker - fighting a war that has consumed about $40 billion worth of its assets, thousands of people dead, and millions dislocated since it became "our war." The American administration has now pronounced that Zardari has out performed Musharraf in his services to the US. One may rightly blame the extraneous factors for the problems we are in today, but our politicians have a tremendous ability to ball up the opportunity afforded to them by the democratic opening. Politics is said to be the noble art of governance, but for our politicians it is an opportunity to be parochial and petty. As a result, the administrative set up is reeling with inefficiency and corruption. Why would a democratic government replace performance with false posturing and take transition for permanence boggles the mind, inclining one to think that either their electoral win was not real, manufactured by foreign sponsors, or that if it was real, it has given them the impression of people being stupid who preferred them over the competent and honest. In the former case, they may think they can be sponsored again by a foreign power for they have done enough to please it. While in the latter case, if their presumption is correct, then rhetoric and not deliverance is enough to deceive the masses again at the polls. In both cases, the nation is the loser. Unfortunate as it may be bureaucracy, which often sustains an administrative set up and makes a state run, is equally guilty. In fact, its guilt far outweighs the politicians' guilt. By not treating people well, they become unconscious partners with the forces that do not want our nation to grow. One may even say that they alienate people from the state which is by definition high treason. Likewise when media, exception allowed, is prevailed by ideologues opposed to the directive principles of the state and manipulate the national scene towards ethno-regional considerations and their larger secular agenda as opposed to the people's moral essence and oneness, chaos takes over pushing the people to uncertainty and despair with nothing to cheer the spirits. Religious values which give courage to people to live in adversity and equip them with gears to survive even against odds are under assault. The situation becomes worse when the administration fails to create jobs, effectuate growth, while the voice for distributive, social, and criminal justice is still a cry in the wilderness. The national scenario despite our faith in us seemingly becomes bleak. Why are we doing this to ourselves, especially at a time when the periphery of our state is brewing with distension and mutiny? FATA and Balochistan are insurgent giving chance to neighbouring predators to fish in troubled waters. Ungluing the national elements strewn together by Islam is a staggering thought. India and its strategic partners have realised the spill over effect of the unimaginative policies of our successive secular governments. They also know it well that the gap between the constitutional proclamation for an Islamic State and the practices of the power apparatus in Pakistan has created rage as well as disenchantment in the masses, which can be utilised to their benefit. "Let them fight between themselves and bleed" seems to be the Indian policy. Moreover, the Indians are convinced that the Kashmir eruption can cool down, if Pakistan's armed forces are made to bog down in Waziristan and Balochistan. In addition, the Indians would like to prolong the US stay in Afghanistan, and thus keep Pakistan embroiled in its turbulent domestic situation. Manmohan Singh's November 6 appeal to the US not to consider withdrawal from Afghanistan gives support to such an evaluation. In this backdrop, our power operators should not forget India-US alliance, which among others calls for joint plans against what the two conveniently call "the cauldron of terrorism in Pakistan," "the jihadi-military axis," and "Islamic fundamentalism." Playing on this plank of the strategic alliance, India is continuously projecting Pakistan as "the centre of international terrorism," which they urge must be dismantled. Together with the rising crescendo of Pakistan's nuclear programme being unsafe. For obvious reasons the latter appeals to the US. Therefore, the power wielders in Pakistan must improve governance. By that I mean synchronise human and material resources for growth; give citizens a sense of belonging by prompt official responses to their needs. Two, wipe out corruption as soon as possible. Three, avoid undermining Islam by grafting secular values on the social scene. Four, employ military force where necessary, but use negotiation channels to defuse conflict and thus deescalate armed action. Five, move fast on the Baloch scene and declare the Balochistan package now rather than wait for the constitutional package. The constitutional amendment can come later. The writer is a freelance columnist.