SOON after she returned from exile in those heady days of 1986, Benazir Bhutto complained that giving her advice had become a cottage industry. And in truth, many of us columnists were guilty of offering the exciting young politician reams of gratuitous counsel.

Thirteen years later, we are still at it. No sooner had General Pervez Musharraf announced that he was taking over that he was virtually inundated in a flood of advice from every quarter. Even those who a few days earlier had been praising Nawaz Sharif to the skies pitched in with suggestions on how the country should be governed. Critics of the previous government were equally free with their advice. But no matter what direction these exhortations came from, the one thing they had in common was that evenhanded accountability of politicians should be carried out.

So far, I have resisted the temptation to add my two paisa worth to this tidal wave of wisdom flowing towards the GHQ from every point on the compass. Expatriate Pakistanis are especially keen to have their voices heard: several have copied e-mails to me containing "Open letters to General Musharraf". The bottom line for most of them is that crooked politicians should be hanged immediately. If many of them had their way, Nawaz Sharif, in particular, would be in for a very tough time.

As I write this, over two weeks have passed since the coup, and I will do what Oscar Wilde did when faced with temptation: give in. But before I hold forth, let me share a very appropriate quotation from Alexander Pope: "For forms of government let fools contest: Whate're is best administered is best". Just so. If the present regime can give us a modicum of good governance, a respite from the madness and hysteria that have engulfed this country for decades, and a moderate revival of the economy, we will have reason to be grateful.

But any misguided notion that the army has a magic wand to solve all our problems needs an immediate reality check. The same army has tried and failed several times before, and there is no reason to believe that experience has been a good teacher. Despite the best will in the world, no army in the world is trained to address issues like the reform of local government and banking laws. If there is currently consensus on anything, it is that accountability needs to be enforced across the board and the economy needs to be revived. The third point on this short agenda is that elections should be held as soon as the first two tasks have been completed.

Any good manager knows that to succeed, a few quantifiable and achievable targets should be fixed. The longer the agenda, the fewer the chances of meeting any of the goals. Dissipation of focus and resources must be avoided to achieve optimum results. So far, the junta has moved with all the speed of a wounded glacier. The generals must realize that the goodwill they currently enjoy is a very perishable commodity. Public approbation is a fickle thing. Sooner rather than later, people will tire of the masterly inaction we have witnessed thus far. The government should take the tough decisions now while it is still riding a groundswell of popularity.

One of the things General Musharraf said in his policy speech to the nation appealed to me strongly, and that was his firm stand against sectarian violence of any kind. Although this is outside the three-point agenda I have outlined above, the fact is that no economic revival can take place if peace is not restored to this divided nation. He should make it illegal to preach violence against any sect or faith, and come down very heavily on offenders. We have witnessed leaders of sectarian militias being arrested and then released time and again as timid politicians have backed off from trying these zealots. The police, too, are frightened of these gangs. Clearly, this is a job only the army can do.

We have seen that international reaction to the coup has been largely negative. While this may stem from a lack of understanding of the political realities in Pakistan, the fact remains that military regimes are in bad odour worldwide. As long as the country is led by a general in uniform, foreign aid, loans and investments will slow to a trickle. In addition, India will have a valid excuse not to sit down at the conference table with Pakistan. Internally, an open-ended dictatorship is bound to unite and galvanize politicians and political parties into uniting against the regime.

For all these reasons, a clear timetable for the return to democracy needs to be announced now. This is another argument for keeping the junta's agenda short. A two-year timeframe for accountability and a revival of the economy does not seem unreasonable. Clearly, bank defaulters and tax evaders would need to be tried in special courts as the present system is not geared to try hundreds of such cases in a reasonably short period of time. And once the IPP issue has been resolved, we can hope for an improvement in the investment climate.

So far, there have been no human rights violations committed by the military regime, and this is a record it must maintain. But Nawaz Sharif and some of his henchmen are still under detention at undisclosed locations without any charges being framed. While I have little sympathy for them, I feel their legal rights must be respected. By all means throw the book at them, but only within the ambit of the law. Even if Nawaz Sharif is released on bail, he is such an unpopular figure that he is unlikely to lead the people to the barricades against the army.

The signals one gets from Islamabad are of indecision and drift. The team named thus far does not fire the imagination as it is composed largely of unexciting personalities who, despite their personal integrity, have shown no signs of innovation or creative energy even in the prime of their lives. Now, in the twilight of their careers, they will plod on at best but seem unlikely candidates for the role of saviours they are being asked to play. Indeed, one of them, Dr Mohammed Yaqub, the governor of the State Bank, has presided over the looting of foreign currency accounts by successive governments as well as the milking of nationalized banks by Nawaz Sharif and his cronies. I do not recall him lodging any protests over this blatant misuse of power.

But I, for one, am willing to suspend cynicism and disbelief for a while, and let the Chief Executive deliver on his many promises. However, I would urge him not to overstay his welcome.