Rana Eijaz Ahmad
Pakistan has been a country where selective morality has been deep-rooted in the system. Since 1947 to date especially after the demise of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah we had been facing dog-whistle politics that covertly based on favouring the few and hurting the most of the people based on caste, creed or status. It is also a kind of racism and promotes specific people with specific interests. I have been writing in my articles that there are no political parties in Pakistan but only interest groups because they all pursuing specific interests, not the national interests. Although Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamat-i-Islami (JI) are considered political parties by all means owing to their organizational and electoral systems yet I doubt the processes both groups adopt in running their groups with their sub-organizations.
In the general election 2018 people voted for the PTI with its catchy slogans; New Pakistan, only One Pakistan, corruption-free Pakistan, clean and green Pakistan. In the prevailing circumstances, we may say that only the last slogan, clean and green Pakistan so far exists in its letter and spirit, all other slogans have no existence in any form. There are more than one Pakistan today; military’s Pakistan, politicians’ Pakistan, Judiciary’s Pakistan, bureaucracy’s Pakistan, Police’s Pakistan, Feudal lords’ Pakistan, advocates’ Pakistan, Mullah’s Pakistan, Media’s Pakistan, may be called as it is mafia’s Pakistan. I did not find people’s Pakistan but yes very important people’s Pakistan with protocol and intimidation for the ordinary people.
Flooded Karachi and poverty-ridden areas in whole Pakistan remain unattended for not supporting the views of any of the available interest groups in Pakistan. Every prospective prime minister ignites hope among people while sitting in opposition but when the same individual comes in power, start passing bucks upon the predecessor’s corrupt practices and damaging the country’s exchequer out of their incapable cabinets. Prime minister Imran Khan was making tall claims while sitting on the container for almost 124 days in Islamabad to make a new Pakistan. He successfully mobilized the masses in his favour and assumed as the PM of Pakistan in August 2018. After the completion of his government’s two years, PMIK makes hardly any different than his prototypes in running the affairs of the state. The honesty of the PMIK is unquestionable but the dishonesty of his accomplices went on under his nose raised certain questions on the capabilities of the government. The PMIK recently talked with media persons and spoke well regarding his obligations while facing empty public purse with Covid-19. We are hoping against hope because of the extinction of choices in the country.
People in Pakistan are transforming very quickly. The political indoctrination of the People is underway. Undoubtedly, PMIK did one thing good unconsciously with the people that they started questioning the institutions for their performance. Unbridled media is also transforming under the leadership of PMIK and changing from an irresponsible to responsible media. A lot of hard work is still needed. The military has been under criticism for many years in Pakistan owing to its increased role in politics time and again. It is also learning from past experiences. From 1947 to 2008 both military and civil governments taking their turns every 8-10 years. During the civil governments’ turns 2-3 civil governments take their turns for plundering the resources of the country and investing those resources out of the country. Both Bhuttos and Shariefs remain puppets at the hands of the establishment of the country. Their political acumen ship was almost zero. Their offspring used to live abroad and they never had any stakes in Pakistan, therefore; they usually stay out of Pakistan while in opposition. They only used to come back to Pakistan to rule over fools.
Pakistan is a diversified country as other countries are but owing to our colonial background we have been slaves for almost more than 100 years. The people of Pakistan are still living in that slave mindset. Most of the people believe that who can speak a few sentences in English is more capable and wiser than the person who speaks his native language. The so-called clergymen have their agenda in keeping people ethnically divided. Therefore, the commercialism of religion is at the top in Pakistan, where blasphemy laws and harassment enactments are used to intimidate others. All these disparities are creating different segments of society with classes and causing dissatisfaction among people.
The PTI government showed a dream to the people that there would be a single Pakistan without any selective morality with pristine principles of rule of law, merit, and transparency. When heavy rains flooded most parts of Pakistan and kept a few parts intact, it creates a sense of deprivations among people. It causes migration of dreams among masses, consequently de-align the people from mainstream public alignment.
The Way-Forward
The PTI government needs to be proactive in fulfilling the needs and demands of the people in time to rescue people from fear and uncertainty. The government needs to work for whole Pakistan in the time of crises instead of doing pork-barrel politics. It is high time to stop wedge politics and start national politics in the best interests of the people. It is only possible when we are determined to make reforms where needed without any fear of losing the government. It is only possible under the daring leadership of the PMIK.
IK has the courage and capability to transform this country into one of the best countries in the world because he is void of personal agenda. He negates nepotism pragmatically and never recommended any of his relatives in any part of Pakistan. He is trying his best to appoint the best people in the right places. He is facing bureaucratic non-cooperation owing to his first term in the government and consistently reshuffling the bureaucratic settings. He faces a lot of criticism out of his lack of trust in appointing officers. He believes he has to try different combinations for an efficient setup. Therefore, he is making experiments that were not possible before, because dealers were dealers, not leaders.
The bureaucracy was in the habit of facing de facto rulers in the past who have no mind or appropriate thinking. The PMIK is the only choice in the available political demagogues. He is an apolitical sportsman and running the country with sportsmanship without losing anything. The international environment is supporting the PMIK and declaring him one of the best leaders in the world. A Jordanian Institute, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre declared PMIK, Muslim man of the year 2020.
However, the PTI government needs to review its structural disparities within the party. It will enhance its credibility in the time to come. Pakistan has been the most developed country in the first 73 years of its history. It is a responsible nuclear power with active military personnel in 2020 that earns sixth place among the largest army might in the world after Russia. I suggest to the PMIK need not be economical with the truth.
— The writer is Host Director Confucius Institute Department of Political Science, University of the Punjab Lahore. He can be reached at [email protected]
