PAKISTAN today again stands at a cross roads. Today the country faces one of the worst crisis in its short turbulent history, a crisis as severe as the one faced by it in 1971 when the country was torn apart and East Pakistan became Bangladesh. The economy is at the rock bottom, people cannot afford to buy essential items of food, Gas and oil prices are sky rocketing and unemployment has broken all previous records. The country has a new Govt. with Shahbaz Sharif as the new Prime Minister but even today we find no intention of the leading political parties to arrive at some form of reconciliation. The national assembly on the 3rd of March when the new PM was elected presented scenes like a fish market and the Punjab Assembly too displayed the same spectacle with loud protests and indiscipline. There is definitely no willingness on the part of the PTI to come to terms with reality.
Imran Khan has already written a letter to the IMF not to grant any further loans to Pakistan until a fair and free election is held and this rather controversial letter has become a topic of debate in the social and electronic media. No denying the fact that Pakistan cannot survive economically without the much needed finance from the IMF.We can only hope and pray that the IMF loan comes through after another round of talks by the end of March. The New Prime Minister in his speech said that his job will be difficult but all difficulties can be overcome. We can only hope that he proves equal to the task and provides some relief to the common man especially to the millions of people surviving below thepoverty line. PTI led by Imran Khan is adamant that he will not cooperate with the new Govt. and continue to protest inside and outside of parliament because of the alleged rigged elections. At this stage it goes without saying that the need of the hour is that all political leaders should think about the future of the country and nation and place their own political agenda on the back burner. Most political analysts and independent observer are in agreement that the 8th February 2024 elections were rigged but that is nothing new, all previous elections including the one in 2018 that brought the Imran Khan regime to power have been controversial except the elections of December 1970 under General Yahiya Khan. Today only a stable political environment can save the country from collapse and this will be possible only and only if our political leaders work within the established rules and norms of parliamentary democracy.
Even seven decades after independence our political leaders have not matured as seasoned and responsible politicians and the scenes of chaos and anarchy in the national and provincial assemblies are a proof of that. The shouts and howls of protest waving of photographs and wrist watches in the Provincial assemblies of the Punjab and KPK are not only reprehensible but also extremely childish and immature. Al the cases like the to shakhana case and others must be decided according to law but the floor of the parliament should not be used to blame and ostracize political opponents. Parliament is that august house where laws are enacted and legislation pushed through for the greater good and benefit of the people of the land. We need political stability and some seriousness on the part of all political leaders to provide relief and a sense of hope for the future.
Today the younger generation especially the highly educated and skilled lot is leaving the country in droves for greener pastures. Thousands of skilled professionals have moved abroad some legally and some illegally for example the number of flight attendants of PIA who vanished in Toronto. The PTI seems to be on the warpath and has issued a warning to the new Govt. by the election of Ali Amin Gandapur as the CM of KPK. Based on previous traditions of the PTI they are again on the offensive and in a mood for battle. The PTI should be working towards making KP a model province so that other provinces can see what is happening there and favor the party in any future poll. Some believe this poll may happen sooner than mandated in the constitution. Others of course point out that different outcomes are also possible in the coming years.Appointment of Gandapur is a clear and obvious sign that the PTI is not willing to come to any understanding but will continue he policy of hostility and animosity towards its opponents and repeat their past display of misogyny against women and the bitter social media campaign against all media persons who dare to disagree with the policies and philosophy of Imran Khan.
Two active social media crusaders of the PTI called Major Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi are now being criticized even by some PTI leaders for their toxic and irrational display of unsubstantiated claims and allegations. Our political culture needs to change we need a complete u turn and immediate correction of course, this just cannot go on any further. The policy of unending hatred hostility and bitterness has to stop we have heard enough un parliamentary language during the four years rule of Imran Khan. About time that the political leaders on both sides should show some dignity and respect and set a better example for our future generations.
The newly installed Govt. of Shehbaz Sharif should wake up to the reality of the situation and while avoiding army conflict with establishment should try to mend fences with the PTI and above all devote all their efforts to the improvement of the economy.
—The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad.
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