Pakistan, General Elections 2018 brings the third party in power that seems unusual as the last 70 years’ history of Pakistan clearly shows that government has been oscillating among three corridors namely; Pakistan People’s Party, Muslim League, and Army. However, in Elections2018, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf came in power as a third party. It was might be shocking for the traditional two parties.
There are two perspectives in understanding this change; one, we may say that it is an outcome of the establishment. It also establishes that all the previous governments in Pakistan would have been assuming powers with the help of establishment. Two, this government is elected by the people and came in power with the slogan of accountability, merit, and transparency. The first perspective is based on conspiracy theory and supported by the sham arguments of a few worthless journalists like C. Christine Fair. She has been working on South Asia and counter-terrorism with such unbecoming arguments. Why I believe that she has been inappropriate in lining up her arguments while writing on South Asia. Since she usually writes in the negative tone and never finds positive things. Above all, she has a lot of dichotomies in her articles. Her article published in Foreign Affairs in July 2018 narrated, Nawaz Sharif as a “political Frankenstein of Zia-ul-Haq, and “a pliant stooge of the army,” and later claimed that he returned from exile, “after the United States and the United Kingdom helped broker the so-called National Reconciliation Ordinance of 2007.” Her all negative words for the Prime ministers of Pakistan and claiming that in Pakistan it has always been army who makes all decisions reflects her negative frame of mind. Ironically, the US and the UK could not rescue Nawaz Sharif while he was being exiled in 1999. More sweeping statements are about general election 2018 when she claimed, the army decided to put IK on the driving seat but without airbags and other security measures. Since IK made the government with alliance and army was keeping him in an imbroglio with its support. It is really ridiculous on the part of a writer in the self-acclaimed top political affairs journal. Christine Fair really seems unfair in writing such a sham article based on sweeping statements and innumerable lies. It also exposed how the international media and so-called trained writers are trying to influence the governments of the developing world. the interesting fact about the US political system is that it has 29 presidents out of 45 who have been from a military background. Both Senior and Junior Bush, Reagan, Carter, etc. were all from military ranks. Therefore, it is the US system ‘displace’ (one of the types of military interventions according to Jean Blondel) the political elite in the US.
Fix Our Home First
We need to fix our home in order first before pointing fingers upon others. Pakistan needs to emerge as a responsible and autonomous state through the determined and preferred decision making in economic and health issues. It has to work solemnly as “18 out of Pakistan’s 21 IMF programs over the last 60 years have not been completed despite obtaining over $24 billion in financial support across those programs. Just like today’s current financial crisis, Pakistan’s last two IMF packages (in 2008 and 2013) were also negotiated by incoming governments.” This is what Imran Khan is trying to bring home people why he is interested in appointing the high powered commission to inquire why we could not develop with such IMF heavy packages. In spite of appreciating Pakistani media start criticizing IK for his outrageous speech in the midnight. The agony on the face of the PM was speaking volumes how the Pakistan economy has been raped for the last ten years or so relentlessly. The gesticulation of the Pakistan PM and his body language was a reflection of a sincere and honest statesman. Contrary to this the traditional parties PMLN and the PPP were pursuing the words of Jafar one of the characters in Hollywood’s Disneyland production, Aladdin movie and keep stealing Pakistani mandate. Jafar convinces Aladdin for stealing the magic lamp, says, “steal an apple, you will be called a thief and steal a kingdom, you will be called a statesman.” Therefore, the PMLN and PPP leaders used to develop their businesses and only Sharif family’s 4 companies started having a mushroom growth and reached up to 30 companies in only the last ten years. Both parties were having thieves started fighting with a statesman who broke the status quo and disallowed them to steal the kingdom in the GE 2018. Few media analysists insisting that accountability should be started from the Musharraf era. They are unable to understand that accountability of Musharraf was the responsibility of PPP and PMLN as they took their turns after Musharraf. Both Nawaz Sharif and Zardari did not speak against Musharraf until he remained in Pakistan and went abroad during the Nawaz Sharif era.
The paid media and the opposition’s corrupt political demagogues are the only supporters of the plunderers. Prime Minister IK is fulfilling the promise he made to the people for getting the seat of governance. He is giving full independence to the institutions to work independently. So far IK did not start a single case against the opposition leaders. All the cases against the PMLN and the PPP were started by themselves against each other. IK is not taking the credit of arrests but telling that today institutions are free. The media is propagating that IK is taking credit to their arrests of so-called political figures whom C. Christine Fair used to call stooges.
Accountability: Top to Bottom Approach
Pakistan’s PM is determined to start accountability. This time accountability is started from the top echelons. This is where the shoe pinches. The rulers like Zardari, Sharifs, etc. used to make others accountable. The present government is doing its best to tell people the truth and has decided to stop further damage to this country. Today trust on government is restored and people truly believe that they are not being looted. Their tax money is being utilized on public welfare. Although the present government is shifting the responsibilities of the previous governments for all the prevailing crises yet it has to redress people’s grievances as early as possible. Undoubtedly, the previous government’s flawed energy policies damaged Pakistan’s economy ruthlessly. The previous governments took a loan but exploited those loans to flourish family and individual businesses. That is why IK proposed a high powered inquiry commission to check where $24 billion spent in Pakistan for development. The PMLN’s business empire developed during the last ten years raising questions upon the honesty of the previous governments. Previous governments used to protect each other’s corruption. The IK government has exposed it clearly that PPP and the PMLN along with Maulana Fazlur Rehman are protecting each other for hiding their corruption. The foreign rulers used to use previous political puppets according to their heart and harmed Pakistan’s national interests. Today Pakistan is enjoying a congenial environment because the government, military, judiciary, bureaucracy is on the same page but the legislature is divided because of the lack of political wisdom among so-called political leaders in Pakistan. IK is trying to make people realize to pay taxes and fulfill their duties in making this country prosperous such sincere calls were not made in the previous governments as they all used to steal Pakistan’s money through money laundering and developing offshore companies. All previous governments have been successfully keeping people away from political issues. Today the PTI adopts the inclusive approach and make people aware of their fundamental rights. Surprisingly, the PTI supporters are the biggest critique upon its leadership and force the party leadership to take back their decisions which were against the public welfare.
Role of Ethnic Groups in Damaging Pakistan
Unfortunately, political demagogues are damaging Pakistan’s stability and used the ethnic groups to destabilize Pakistan. we need to appreciate the role of the army in nipping the evil in the bud and rescued Pakistan from devastation. Since the anti-Pakistan external elements are working very efficiently in using Pakistan’s ethnic groups to undermine the very nature of Pakistan’s existence and decided to start a series of bomb explosions in Pakistan. The intelligence agencies of Pakistan worked brilliantly and spotted such criminals in time.
Why scared of Accountability?
Why we are scared of accountability If we are innocent? Name a single judge, general, politician bureaucrat or businessman in Pakistan have ever punished for not being guilty. There are scores of examples where we can quote many people who have been guilty but escaped from punishment. The Supreme Court Judge Qazi Faez Isa if would be innocent, the Supreme Judicial Council and the Supreme Court of Pakistan will exonerate him from any reference against him. Why we are pointing fingers on the credibility of top judicial institutions of Pakistan. the Pakistan Army set a brilliant example for all of us and made the accountability in the institution without any fear. Why we are reluctant to the process of accountability?
The Way Forward
IK government needs to give pragmatic policies for the future instead of lollipops of accountability or corruption alleviation. Although these are the major problems in Pakistan along with yellow journalism. This government needs to tell people through social media that how much loan is credited from the IMF for the twenty-second time? What are the policies of the present government to retire Pakistan’s debt? How much the present government has retired the debt? These are the basic questions which are in the minds of every sane person. If the government answer these questions successfully, people of Pakistan will for sure stand with the government. If the government is just looking for sacrifices from the people only and not ready to resolve the crisis, a common man would be suffering. Pakistan is a country where people focus more on their rights as compared to their duties. We need to be good citizens and pay taxes with the responsibility to make ourselves autonomous and free from external pressures. It will enhance the respect of Pakistanis in the world over.
