While responding to questions concerning bringing back political stability and national reconciliation in a TV talk show recently, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi repudiated the chances of any dialogue with political forces, dubbing the ruling coalition a bunch of ‘rejected people’ who reached Parliament via ‘Form 47’ with the support of the establishment. He said that the PTI wanted to hold dialogue with the COAS and DG ISI for the betterment of Pakistan but it has not received any response so far.
I am afraid the PTI is still traversing the wrong path and probably has no understanding of the dynamics of politics and the way political stability can be ensured in the country. In a democratic polity, political stability and reconciliation can only be ensured by the collective efforts and commitment of the political forces. If the PTI wants to work for the betterment of Pakistan it will have to engage in dialogue with political parties in the ruling coalition to resolve the contentious issues and also to build consensus on the reforms required to improve governance and put the country back on track.
Politics must be done in conformity with the Constitution, the laws of the land as well as internationally recognized norms of democracy. The national interest cannot be promoted through a culture of violence, impudence, trolling of the state institutions, rebellion against the state and hurling incessant and unfounded flak at the establishment and its leadership.
There is very strong circumstantial evidence available which suggests that the establishment continues to remain apolitical after its decision in February 2021 not to interfere in the political affairs of the country any more. Former COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, in his farewell address, had made it abundantly clear. Recently he has also strongly refuted PTI claims of any role in Imran Khan’s exit from power.
Logic and ground realities also support the view that the establishment had no role in the outcome of the elections and it did not play favourites. Had it been otherwise and the opposition parties had been given support by the establishment in the elections the results would surely have been different. The fact that the election produced a split mandate adequately quashes the impression about involvement of the establishment.
If the PTI still feels that its mandate has been stolen, there are institutions available to address its grievances. Showing distrust in them and talking about launching an agitation against the alleged rigging is not the way forward. It is a recipe for continued political instability in the country.
It is also believed that the myth of alleged rigging has been adequately exploded by the results of the by-election on national and provincial seats in which the PTI has been snubbed by the people. The dilemma is that it has also branded them as rigged as usual. Regrettably it has become the brand of PTI’s politics to dispute any election result that goes against its wishes.
There is evidence available which proves beyond any iota of doubt that the PTI was responsible for the May 9 attacks on military installations and monuments of martyrs, and the PTI founding chairman was the mastermind behind it. It was a mutiny against the state. Reconciliation can be considered and those involved in these heinous crimes including its mastermind be pardoned when they publicly confess their crimes, seek apology from the nation and pledge not to repeat it again.
Now coming to the contention of the party that it would only talk to the COAS and DG ISI, is it not ironical that it wants to engage in dialogue with the same establishment against whom it has been levelling accusations of interference in political affairs? When it says it will hold talks only with the establishment it is actually inviting its intervention in political affairs of the country. This is not only a self-contradictory, but also an illogical, stance.
The statement by Shehryar Afridi that there has been no response to the party’s overtures for dialogue with the establishment also provides a glaring proof of the fact that the Army simply is not interested in involvement in a political dialogue with any political entity which conforms to its well-considered stance to remain apolitical.
The current COAS also has never made any statement of a political nature. When the Army leadership says it will provide full spectrum support to the government in dealing with the economic and other challenges confronting the country it represents an affirmation of its role stipulated in the Constitution. The Army is part of the Executive as per the Constitution. Now that after 70 years of interference it desires to remain apolitical, why is the PTI bent upon ensuring its re-entry in politics? It needs to re-evaluate its narrative by deliberating on the consequences of the approach that it has adopted.
No person in his right mind can deny the fact that the country badly needs political stability to orchestrate a turnaround in the economy and in dealing with other debilitating challenges like terrorism. Now that the economy has started showing positive signs of recovery, prospects for foreign investments have emerged and the international rating agencies have also come up with positive outlook regarding economic recovery, thus the need for political stability has become even more imperative to keep the momentum going. Any political upheaval or disturbance can torpedo this process. Therefore the PTI must do serious rethinking and refrain from anything that adds to instability in the country.
Recently reconciliation has become a buzz word in the context of political stability. That surely is the need of the hour. But before starting this process there has to be the expression of willingness on the part of all the stakeholders to sit-together. Then the other most vital ingredient for reconciliation is that if any party has done anything against the interests of the state or against other parties it has to confess the wrong done by it and then express the commitment not to repeat that folly again.
There is evidence available which proves beyond any iota of doubt that the PTI was responsible for the May 9 attacks on military installations and monuments of martyrs, and the PTI founding chairman was the mastermind behind it. It was a mutiny against the state. Reconciliation can be considered and those involved in these heinous crimes including its mastermind be pardoned when they publicly confess their crimes, seek apology from the nation and pledge not to repeat it again.
