- The government has not achieved the purposes for which it was elected
“Mere Pakistaniyo, apne ghabrana nahi hai” warned Imran Khan whilst assuming charge as the chief executive of the country. The decades-old quest for the top political office materialized as Khan finally managed to satisfy his lust for the Prime Minister’s office. The supporters were made to believe that all the country’s woes would be over now that the ‘right’ party was in power. A fresh start with a ray of hope was promised. All predicamif ents would be dealt with and Pakistan would begin its journey towards prosperity, or so we were made to believe.
Swaying upon the prayers of many and with a pat on the back by the concerned quarters, Imran’s PTI made its way into the corridors of power with countless promises of development, jobs, cheaper utilities, safety and security, good governance and accountability amongst others. While the PTI made itself comfortable on the other side of the benches, certain teething problems, which were otherwise unavoidable, ensued. The benefit of doubt was duly extended to the government as the general perception was to allow them to settle in before embarking upon a journey to salvation.
But when the likes of Usman Buzdar are handed over the keys to the heart of the country, the fate of the people is already sealed. As opposed to rooting out incompetence, the same is nurtured and encouraged. A man alleged to be unable to read the files presented before him cannot provide comfort and relief to the citizenry. On the contrary, the people remain tense and the confidence in the system further deteriorates.
Notwithstanding the hazardous air, costly utilities, joblessness, inflation and the fact that commercial activity of most sorts remains at a standstill, the government continues to put on a bold front and offers its reassurances to the general public. The all-is-well notion is easily dispelled when a common man steps out to buy simple groceries for his house. In order to actually appease the citizenry, it is imperative that the PTI government rethinks its strategy towards governance. Patience is running out and the clock remains ticking.
Imran Khan, though a firebrand speaker, is bent upon convincing the masses that all remains under control and the country is sailing towards prosperity. However, mere display of immaculate oratory skills is insufficient to actually steer the general populace out of their everyday woes. The election campaign is over and the significance of bold speeches is lost with it. The people require practical improvements which remain unheard of. With the exception of a selective accountability process that stands upon faulty prosecution, no material progress which would put the minds at ease has been seen. The rupee has seen its worst, costliness continues to haunt the common man, economic instability remains hovering over businessmen, tax collection persists in being limited and yet the government wants us to believe that all is well.
In the minds of the ruling party, the worst may be over but the morale of the common man is falling apart. The working class cadre suffers the most as their salaries are insufficient to cater to their necessities. The emoluments remain the same, but with little or less value. No more benefit of settling in can be extended to the government as it has been over more than a year since they assumed charge. By now, the illiterate common man expects to see some sort of change. The promised change they voted and pinned their hopes on. A political government whose own bureaucracy is uncooperative has no hopes of succeeding. Ineffective governance is unlikely to bring about the desired change.
Despite criticism, Buzdar’s predecessor had his own way of obtaining work from the bureaucracy. Even though his kingly tactics were not appreciated, if a task was required to be done, it would be done. Maybe some, if not all, measures employed by Shehbaz Sharif were to be adopted by the incumbent government, it might help foster the attempts being made to govern. The ‘Naya Pakistan’ has only brought chaos in the country. Instead of job creation, more people find themselves out of a job than before. A general uneasiness prevails over the minds of the public and none remain at ease. Those eagerly awaiting change continue to be disappointed by the sort of governance on display.
The entire system is falling apart and is on the verge of a total collapse even though the government might not see it yet. One more trudge in the wrong direction and the people might actually take to the streets. Political inclinations aside, even the PTI’s own supporters and voters are unhappy. Unlike others, their party isn’t willing to stand beside them, let alone behind.
The purported accountability drive in the country has also failed to yield any material results. NAB arrests have at most become a deterrent to the civil servants from carrying out their duties. As opposed to rooting out corruption, the activism of NAB has brought the bureaucracy to a standstill. Officers are reluctant to affix their signatures on any document for the fear of baseless allegations and subsequent NAB proceedings against them. The mighty corrupt, or rather the alleged corrupt, are also unnerved by the process. The promised billions are yet to be recovered. The swindlers of the nation’s wealth are still to languish in prisons for their deeds.
Amidst all of the above, the people in Punjab breathe in hazardous air every second of the day and all the government can do is shut down schools so as to limit the exposure of the children to the disastrous effects of the air they so innocently breathe. It is despicable and unfortunate that the state has to put on hold the education of its children in order to keep them safe and healthy. Nature might be beyond the government’s control, but certain pertinent measurers can be adopted to avoid or at least reduce the effects of smog in the air. Despite smog being an annual issue, the government has failed to take any material steps to overcome the same.
Notwithstanding the hazardous air, costly utilities, joblessness, inflation and the fact that commercial activity of most sorts remains at a standstill, the government continues to put on a bold front and offers its reassurances to the general public. The all-is-well notion is easily dispelled when a common man steps out to buy simple groceries for his house. In order to actually appease the citizenry, it is imperative that the PTI government rethinks its strategy towards governance. Patience is running out and the clock remains ticking.
