The events that took place on May 9 were not only unpleasant on their own but also painful for the people of Pakistan and all those sane individuals who were anticipating these sorts of events as a result of a continuous rift between the stakeholders from the last year and beyond. No Pakistani would have ever imagined people throwing stones at army vehicles or ransacking the memorials of the martyrs. One could wish the day had not come in the history of Pakistan.
What happened on May 9 was not destined to happen that way. It was a result of continued rift between the stakeholders which resulted in a couple of miscalculated and politically motivated steps from all sides.
Had sanity prevailed, things could have been different. Pakistan could have been saved from internal and external embarrassment. The people of Pakistan and Pakistan’s Army might not have a face-off. But unfortunately in the battle of egos, people lost and the country suffered.
The PTI-led government was in its 4th year and on the course to complete its term when it was toppled. Ideally, if in place, it would have been near its completion and all the parties would have been gearing up for the general elections instead of fighting for the elections. But, it did not happen.
It all started with the success of the vote of no-confidence. Although a democratic and constitutional step, it was ambiguous on its own, and its success still creates many doubts.
The PTI government at that time was not likely to get good results in upcoming elections had it completed its term. The opposition was keeping a check on its performance and things were not looking great for the PTI government at that time.
However, amid all this confusion, which side is winning and which is losing? It does not matter. What matters most is, it is only the country, the nation, and the people who are made to lose.
The PDM coalition toppled the PTI government and came to power with a promise of ending the suffering of the people and controlling the inflation but further deteriorated the condition of the people. The burden on the poor increased. The promise was not fulfilled. As a result, a party that was likely to suffer defeat in the next general elections became so popular that it found no match in the PDM coalition.
Had the PTI government been allowed to complete its term, the PDM coalition would have been the favorite in the 2023 elections. Instead, the popularity of PTI and Imran Khan reached new heights and that was unprecedented in the history of Pakistan. The PTI was most likely to sweep the polls. The former PM just needed to manage its popularity and avoid stepping into hot waters. But, he continued to build on the narrative that got him unprecedented success and took every possible step for early elections. On the other hand, the PDM coalition took every step to avoid elections. And, the results are for everyone to see.
Had both these parties waited for their time, things would have been different but it was power- thirst that kept on compelling them to take steps that were not needed at all.
Similarly, had the constitution supreme in the country, and the judiciary powerful enough to protect the constitution, the situation would have been a lot better.
The constitution gives a time frame for the elections in case of dissolution of assemblies. Elections were anticipated to take place in April in Punjab and KP had the PDM government acted according to the constitutional provisions. And, going by the previous results of by-elections, PTI was expected to form governments in Punjab and KP.
The former PM Imran Khan was arrested on May 9. Ideally, there would have been PTI governments in Punjab and KP if previous trends were anything to go by. Had the situation still been the same? It would have been entirely different. With the PTI governments in Punjab and KP, what happened on May 9 would not have happened. In the case of violent protests, the responsibility would have been on PTI leaders and administration. There would have been no blame game.
Now, who is responsible? The PTI’s narrative is that the events were pre-planned and the administration deliberately allowed the protesters to take the law into their own hands. It allowed the incidents to happen before taking any action. While the PDM government is of the view that PTI leaders and workers are anti-state and they need to be held responsible for the incidents of May 9. This is how it is justifying its crackdown against PTI.
Amid all this chaos and unrest, Pakistan has been suffering internally and externally.
People and the Army came face to face for the first time. The desecration of martyrs’ memorials was equally painful for the families of the martyrs and the whole country. After that, there has been a crackdown on PTI workers. Concerns about human rights violations have been raised. The PTI and its supporters are blaming the establishment and the government for the current situation. And the worst of all is that the people of Pakistan are hit hard by inflation. They are unable to make both ends meet. Fuel prices and electricity bills are unbearable.
Externally, INGOs and lawmakers of different states have expressed their concern about the state of democracy in the country. They have raised concerns about Human Rights violations, the rule of law, and the plight of the poor.
It is an embarrassment for the people of Pakistan. With the constitution, laws, institutions, and resources, we can not devise a system that ensures the rule of law in the country, a continuous cycle of free and fair elections, and a vibrant political culture.
All this could have been avoided and Pakistan could have been saved from this embarrassment.
With the battle of egos and narratives, what has been achieved? Embarrassment, instability, confusion, conflict, and economic meltdown. The IMF is not ready to provide aid to Pakistan, and still, we are debating on whether the IMF should interfere in our internal problems or not instead of carving out a plan to breathe without the oxygen from the IMF. That defines our priorities.
The IMF would not interfere in the internal matters of Pakistan if Pakistan is self-sufficient enough to live without the IMF.
The recent election in Karachi for the position of Mayor, which is a much simpler and more compact election than the general elections, is not free from the allegations of rigging. The general elections are around the corner. And, the voice of allegations and rigging is expected to echo soon. There has been no effort to control this menace. The priorities of the stakeholders have been different.
However, amid all this confusion, which side is winning and which is losing? It does not matter. What matters most is, it is only the country, the nation, and the people who are made to lose.
