David Miliband

Pakistani Youth: Democracy or Dictatorship

The British Council sponsored debate on Pakistani radio suggests that the old (European) attractions of dictators making the trains run on time dies hard.

Posted at 18:57 09 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Modern Madrassas?

Pakistan's massive young population needs schools and teachers. Their absence has led to the growth of a large madrassa movement - some 18,000 strong. These religious institutions have become a byword in the West for indoctrination of an extreme and dangerous kind. In some cases the reputation is well merited. The replacement or regulation of these madrassas so that they fulfil a constructive not destructive mission is an overridingly important issue in Pakistan.

Multan's Al-Khair public school and madrassa sets out as its mission "enlightened minds and a Muslim heart". I visited yesterday. On first blush the swaying 8-16 year olds memorising the Qur'an seems a long way from a model of inquiring education. The youngsters said they committed themselves to 8 hours a day memory work out of religious devotion. But the director talked openly and publicly of his condemnation of 9/11 and 7/7 and presented me with his book on inter faith dialogue. It sits alongside the public school, in the public school in fact. The pupils were enthusiastic. The issue is not religion but violent extremism.

Posted at 14:06 09 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Back in Time

I visited with Foreign Minister Qureshi the Sufi shrines of his ancestors, going back to the 13th century in Multan. Today I am in Lahore coming from a 16th century mosque - the largest in the sub-continent - to the Lahore fort, captured by the British from Sikhs in the 1850s and dating back to the Mughal emperors of the 16th century.

I think it is important to get a smell of the cultural history. The historic diversity within this land belies the homogeneity that comes out in population statistics

Posted at 12:13 09 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Own it, fight it

There has been a big change in Pakistan since my last visit in January. The scale of engagement between the Pakistan army and the insurgency in the north west of the country is considerably expanded. I met some of the victims - internally displaced persons driven from their homes now sheltering in 45 degree heat in a camp north of Islamabad. They said they had lost relatives to the Taliban - one old man said his wife and two daughters had been killed. They wanted to go back - as soon as the government's 25000 rupee (250 pounds approx) grant was delivered. The government/army want them to go back as soon as security, governance and services are established.

The chief minister of North West Frontier Province says that Pakistanis now own the struggle and need to fight it. At the moment there is public revulsion at Taliban excess and support for the army, despite big losses. The emphasis on governance and security is key to sustainability but as one of the leading army commanders said, without social equity there will not be stability. The refugees from Buner have in significant numbers returned; the test of progress is the return of refugees from Swat, 80 per cent of whom are staying with relatives and friends. Our aid and the big American effort is for the short term; our reconstruction spending will be key to the long term.

Posted at 09:30 09 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]