The PPP, the PML(N) and the JUI(F) have jointly announced a charter of reforms, promising to implement it after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s exit. Some of the promises apparently seem easier to implement if pursued seriously, like consensus-based electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections, strengthening the relevant institutions on professional lines to deal with security issues and elimination of terrorism through effective implementation of the National Security Policy and National Action Plan.
Keeping in view the domestic liquidity constraints combined with rising prices of petrol and foodgrains and a further disruption of supply chains due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the promise to ameliorate the lot of the poor and fixed-income groups might take years to fructify, and that too after an inter party consensus on the basics of a reasonable economic policy which is then implemented irrespective of who is in power. Every time the PPP and PTI are out of power they demand the recovery of victims of enforced disappearances. Let’s hope they fulfill the promise this time.
The independence of the judiciary has been compromised throughout our history due to pressures from the establishment and ruling parties. While the establishment has also tried to control media, threats from mainstream political parties and terrorists too have created constraints for it. The opposition’s charter simply ignores the elephant in the room. Political parties have themselves made electoral alliances with, or sought the support of, extremist groups, a policy which they need to renounce. Similarly they have to stop seeking the support of the establishment against political opponents. Unless this is done, issuing calls for all stakeholders to accept the supremacy of the Constitution or for elimination of undemocratic interference in politics would sound hollow.
Much depends on whether the parties remain wedded to the charter when they contest elections against one another after the departure of Mr Khan. Keeping in view the breaking of solemn pledges made by the PPP and the PML(N) in the past, including the violations of the jointly agreed Charter of Democracy and their failure to remove, despite promises, the atrocious amendments introduced in the Constitution by Ziaul Haq, including in Article 62, many will take their promises with a pinch of salt.
