Just a few months ago everyone thought that the looming political crisis was the biggest challenge that Pakistan faced and with 2023 marked as the election year, it was expected that we would get rid of this political crisis and return to normalcy. As 2023 approached, the dream of normalcy started to fade away. Pakistan was in the stranglehold of another crisis, this time on the economic front. One Finance Minister was replaced with another in a hope that the new one would take the challenge more effectively, but to everyone’s dismay the newer one turned out to be more of the same.
Just when the egos of our ruling elite allowed the much-awaited and much needed return to IMF and when the things were expected to change for better, we faced another challenge, this time the old and tried, the security situation marred by terror waves. Peshawar unfortunately became yet another target of a terrorist attack on January 30, in one of the biggest attacks in the city and its law-enforcing agencies.
Let us be very clear that Pakistan at the moment is too fragile to bear the weight of tainted politicians. The masses have had enough of the experiences, let them be the deciders of their own destiny. Let the path of normalcy lead through political stability, which can ultimately lead to economic stability and a secure environment. Pakistan, for once, deserves better. Pakistanis deserve better
On the same day, Pakistan desperately awaited the UAE President to land in Islamabad, so much so that a public holiday was announced in the Capital. However, at the eleventh hour, he backed out of his visit citing bad weather as a reason, while the authorities in Islamabad were left dumbfounded in the broad daylight on this last moment cancellation. It is hard to recall any other incident when the government in Islamabad was so desperate to host a foreign dignitary and the visitor equally uninterested. It is a new low in the country’s diplomatic history that has brought nothing, but consternation, if anyone could feel it.
Now, rewind back to March 2022, not even a year ago. When National GDP was growing by 6 percent, Pakistan did not need foreign dignitaries to bail it out. Those who visited Pakistan, visited for goodwill and mutual interests. Pakistan hosted a 50 plus delegation of foreign dignitaries in an OIC conference in Islamabad in March 2022. Everything might not have been rosy at that time but things were certainly a lot better and more stable than what is found today.
Considering the deteriorating security situation in the country, one would imagine that the prime agenda of the intelligence agencies would be to counter the threat which is looming on their heads. Pakistan certainly needs to take it on war footing, as more than 80,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism, more than any other war that the country has fought.
In the recent incident, more than 100 people have lost their lives in one of the biggest cases of intelligence failure, in the heart of Peshawar. 100 lives lost mean 100 families destroyed forever, in a blink. In any other civilized nation, heads would have rolled, but not here. In Pakistan, the masses don’t even know who is going to take the responsibility if they are the next ones to lose their lives in another attack and then be forgotten by the State as “collateral damage”. Incompetence galore, indeed!
Not just that, in the same week more than 50 youth lost their lives in Kohat because an overloaded boat drowned in a river and the passengers were not following the safety measures. Not surprising, because, the bureaucracy selected through the CSS examination (which itself needs to be reformed)seems to be more interested in the photo ops than their actual duties of management and administration. Similarly, more than 40 plus people lost their lives in an unfortunate bus accident in Lasbela, Balochistan, because the bus carrying the passengers did not meet the safety guidelines. The bus was carrying smuggled petrol from Iran which caused the fire. Not so surprising again, because for many of the elite in our country the dollars earned through smuggled items are more precious than human lives.
Today, our Parliament has no Opposition per se. Two of our major provinces have no provincial assemblies. It has been weeks since the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were dissolved. Article 105(3) of the Constitution says that the new elections must be announced within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly, but both the Governors and Election Commission of Pakistan when reminded about this constitutional obligation are replying back with excuses. Cherry on top, that our justice system looks clueless on this abrogation of the constitution. Incompetence galore, indeed.
There is a growing sense of despondency among Pakistanis at the moment, especially the younger lot. Professionals and highly qualified youth are choosing to migrate out of their native country because they feel that the state has failed them
From justice system to political system, security apparatus to quality of life, the future looks bleak to them. There are cases of growing human rights abuses, media persons are gagged, politically-informed masses are threatened and chased down, beaten, humiliated and even killed. Hence, brain drain is another major concern that Pakistan faces today.
The junior officers of KP Police are threatening mass resignation if the perpetrators of Peshawar Attack are not brought to justice. Nowhere else in the world, security personnel are seen protesting for their own security. The situation in the country is not less than chaotic, somewhat like a volcano, ready to erupt.
Let us be very clear that Pakistan at the moment is too fragile to bear the weight of tainted politicians. The masses have had enough of the experiences, let them be the deciders of their own destiny. Let the path of normalcy lead through political stability, which can ultimately lead to economic stability and a secure environment. Pakistan, for once, deserves better. Pakistanis deserve better.
