Sometimes a lull is important for a writer when everybody is following hashtags and trends and nothing serious can get the reader’s attention. What is going on in Pakistan is very interesting but not so significant for the European population. Yes, for diplomatic circles of European capitals like Prague, news of a “change of regime” in Islamabad got a little attention but nobody talks about “regime change” which is the buzzword in South Asia nowadays. There is a huge difference between “regime change” and “change of regime” but unfortunately every change of regime in Pakistan is taken as “regime change”.
As a student of communication, I follow the diction that is being used before, during, and after regime changes and change of regimes and always get interesting results. What is going on in Pakistan can surely be a subject for academic theses but I refrain from indulging in it because the scene is still under theatrical smoke. However, I desire to see how the phrase “regime change” became popular in Pakistan during the last month.
Pakistan People’s Party and its leader, the late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, raised the issue of “regime change” in 1977, blaming the USA for ousting Bhutto. There is a popular theory that regimes were changed in Pakistan around two years before any major change took place in the region. The 1969 Yahya Khan Martial Law was followed by Fall of Dhaka, the 1977 Martial Law was followed by the Afghan War, and the 1999 Martial Law was followed by 9/11.
This is just a conspiracy theory, therefore, no need to go into details. After Bhutto, nobody used the diction of regime change except former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was thrice removed but he had no idea he could be a victim of regime change. Benazir Bhutto also avoided uttering this phrase although a vote of No-Confidence also came against her that she survived, but then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan sacked her government and sent her home.
Countries like UAE, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are getting closer and this is a big opportunity for Pakistan. One suggestion for the new government is that, instead of trying to behave as the leader of the Muslim world, should work with resourceful Muslim countries in the Middle East. Pakistan has to revamp, review and revisit its economy and foreign policy after tremendous damage done by Khan who is running his political campaign based on hatred against the West
There is no doubt thoughtless US-sponsored regime changes provide ample opportunities for politicians of the developing world to claim they are victims of regime changes. Now former PM Khan is educating Pakistanis about what is regime change and how it happened with his change of regime. He is collecting funds for fighting against his regime change and would continue evening classes at public meetings to tell the history and formulas of regime change. He is indicating that everybody, literally everybody, was involved in his regime change.
He is a good crowd puller and represents a social media user class that is over 60 million in Pakistan so he can be lethal for those who, according to him, conspired against him. He is also popular among families of the civil and military bureaucracy because he is the only politician in the history of Pakistan who categorically makes fun of politicians, Parliament, and the Constitution, all three words that are extremely unpopular, rather get a hateful response, from these classes. Therefore, Khan is the hero of these classes who believe he would provide them a system where there would be no politicians, Parliament, or 1973 Constitution.
PTI circles indicate that Khan had planned to go for a referendum after budget session 2022 asking people to replace the parliamentary system and constitution with a presidential form of government, but he was voted out before he could announce this. Anyhow one should accept the reality that he is a populist leader and populists are very daring when they decide to spread anarchy. Honestly, he has every right to do whatever he wishes to along with his followers but my only concern is he should forgive Pakistan’s foreign relations. Unluckily, his entire paradigm is based on Pakistan’s foreign relations and he would go to every extent to get his results, forgetting the possible damage Pakistan can face.
As a Pakistani living abroad, I was wretched to see videos in which PTI followers were burning Pakistani passports. Pakistani passports are our recognition and our identity. If they think that the USA and EU had hatched a conspiracy against their leader, then they should have left foreign countries and should go to Pakistan to join protests instead of defaming their country abroad. I believe that the Pakistani missions abroad must not provide new passports to these people who made a mockery of their country abroad.
It looks heroic to stand against the West and the USA, and the most popular slogan in the political history of Pakistan had been “Amrika ka jo Yaar hai— Ghadaar Hai Ghadaar Hai” (whosoever is a friend of America is a traitor). So Imran Khan has also the right to use this slogan but one should remember the economic conditions we have been going through due to the economic meltdown during the last three years. I am not saying IK is responsible for this meltdown but the meltdown took place during that period.
Our payments are due to China and Saudi Arabia and debt servicing is touching historic highs. IMF support release is also at a halt and the government is selling fuel cheaper than it buys and that is an extra burden. Financial experts believe that Pakistan needs a minimum of $10 billion to avoid economic collapse.
Imran Khan was voted out by the National Assembly after creating huge problems with the EU and the USA. Together they are buyers of 85 percent of Pakistani goods indirectly or directly. Our exports are linked with Europe and North America. Damage is already done and now Pakistan will have to work extra hard to reclaim a good relationship with the EU and America. My contacts in diplomatic circles believe that the “regime change” narrative of Imran Khan would not stop in the near future and any attack on US interests in Pakistan by followers of Khan cannot be ruled out and if it would happen, then things would become more grave. We will see what happens but I believe that the new government in Pakistan must look at different options to enhance its trade with other countries and Pakistan will have to balance within the Middle East.
Countries like UAE, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are getting closer and this is a big opportunity for Pakistan. One suggestion for the new government is that, instead of trying to behave as the leader of the Muslim world, should work with resourceful Muslim countries in the Middle East. Pakistan has to revamp, review and revisit its economy and foreign policy after tremendous damage done by Khan who is running his political campaign based on hatred against the West.
