BY RAHIM NASAR
Imran Khan made the best use of 1992 Cricket World Cup victory and successfully secured a powerful place in Pakistan’s national politics.
Political immaturity and quick fulfillment of wishes forced Khan to support dictator Musharraf in Presidential referendum of 2002.
Even, he was trying to prove General Musharraf a savior. Viewing and observing politics from a cricketer perspective, he didn’t bother to consult his longtime companions and friends.
And that proved to be his first major political mistake. The only goal in Khan’s mind was to become Prime Minister, so he kept on ignoring friends and relatives in time of making any political decision.
In 2018 elections, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan won majority in National Assembly and Khan was ‘selected’ as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The dilemma is on the one hand, Imran shouted for change to make the country prosperous and economically self-dependent, and on the other hand, he welcomed the prevalent political elite.
In fact, it was Khan’s compulsion to accept these people, otherwise he would have never become Prime Minister. Forces of darkness played vital role in this regard. There is hardly a single ideological member in his cabinet: most of them are from PPP, PML-Q and Musharraf team.
The founding members were sidelined, and opportunists secured reputable and influential positions in PTI.
Currently, Khan is leading hybrid-regime which is monitored by non-democratic actors. The PTI-led federal government is facing total failure at all spheres; governance, security, economic, political, ethnic, media and religious.
The worst foreign and domestic policy failures are additional threats for Khan. Pakistan’s ties with Afghanistan, Iran, India, US and European Union countries are either not very good or they are ambiguous.
Moreover, civil-military leadership seems on one page but the entire system is being controlled by one specific institution. In every sector or department, people belonging to the powerful institution running the entire system. Running the system in this manner will ruin the future of the country.
Despite all the faults and negativities, PM Khan has been utilizing his energies on how to disgrace Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Incumbent government’s top policy is the political use National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to target political leaders in fake cases. Many of PML-N and PPP leaders have been jailed in different fake cases.
Using national institutions for political interests and power will establish tradition of political revenge in the country.
Khan has added enough fuel of hatred to national politics in this regard. He blames PMLN and PPP for every economic and political issue. This is completely inadequate and disgusting.
Instead of coming up with solution of political, economic and other national issues confronting the country, connecting all ills with PML-N and PPP is political immaturity and an unwisely move.
On March 24, PM Khan called a meeting with senior media persons to discuss the challenge of Coronavirus and federal government’s strategy to overcome financial issues during lockdown in the country.
He faced very harsh questions from senior journalists on media censorship. PM was unable to convince the journalists on current media censorship.
Recently, different Pakistani news channels have removed number of senior journalists from their jobs on government pressure. Government’s policy of not giving commercial adds to Geo News and Dawn News is totally unfair. Dawn and Jang newspapers are also facing the same issues.
In fact, censoring talk shows has become government’s practice of daily routine. The arrest of Geo News’s owner Mir Shakeel Ur Rehman and ban on Geo channel is the darkest face of Khan led hybrid regime. Complete intolerance has become the hallmark of the current government.
Freedom of expression has been censored completely. Police and security personnel with FIRs in their hands are looking for those who talk rational, to persecute them. The tactics by which the media channels have been taken hostage makes it clear that the present government is not only incompetent, but also it is also a threat to democracy and political stability.
Not only the media, but all the major institutions of the country are run and controlled by specific stakeholders, which is remarkably condemning.
Even if inflation is reviewed, it is clear that the governing body is in the hands of someone else who controls prices and suggests fluctuation. The recent sugar crisis is an example.
The recent sugar crisis has seriously jolted the ruling government. The opposition parties are demanding resignation of PM Imran and re-elections. PM Khan has indirectly called Jahangir Tareen responsible for the current political crisis.
Even PM Khan has also ordered to probe into the matter in order to locate the responsible elements. Some reliable sources revealed that Khan is all set to submit summary to President to dissolve assemblies.
A State needs integrity and wise decisions to ensure political stability, ethnic integrity and economic prosperity. Absolute political criticism will leave the state hollow and fragile.
PM Khan has to change his political strategy. Behaving in a traditional and reluctant way will blatantly mark a stamp of complete failure of the incumbent government.
Focus should be on how to run the state affairs smoothly. In this regard, establishment should avoid interference which is the core hurdle behind political and economic crisis in the country.
(Rahim Nasar is a political commentator from Balochistan. He can be reached at rahim.nasar@yahoo.com)
Also Read: Coronavirus And The Rise Of Authoritarianism
