Analysis
Ansar M Bhatti
After MQM’s parting of ways with the PTI government, it has now become evident that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s days are numbered. PTI has virtually lost majority in the National Assembly and ideally the Prime Minister should have tendered his resignation. But as announced by the Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the prime minister will fight to the hilt, despite the fact that this fight will only prove an exercise in futility. Let me borrow a few lines from my article published in the newspaper on January 26 when I wrote, “Time is running out for the PTI and particularly Imran Khan. They hardly have any time to make up for the lapses made during the past three years. They literally need a magic wand that could turn things in their favour”.
Elimination of corruption was a solemn vow that PTI sold to its voters to win elections but as we witnessed the party has not been able to materialize its vow. Consequently Pakistan has dropped 16 places in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2021 compared to the previous year, ranking 140 out of 180 countries, according to Transparency International latest report. It is simply useless to mention that when it comes to corruption, all political and non-political parties made hay while the sun was shining. In that backdrop people expected from PTI and especially Imran Khan that he would clear the Augean stables by introducing anti-corruption reforms and putting the corrupt behind the bars. But unfortunately things went even worse during PTI tenure. People and those who were very close to the prime minister made their fortunes overnight. Resultantly, the poor and middle class in particular suffered a lot.
We in the media kept on reminding the PTI that it was detracting from its manifesto and path, which it had promised to implement and take after coming to power. But hats off the government ministers and especially the information minister who played a key role in creating a gulf between the media and the prime minister. Consequently, the media did not highlight even the good things done by the government. There is no second opinion that the prime minister himself is an upright and honest man, however the team he picked or was made to pick was least bothered about carrying forward his agenda and vision in letter and spirit. It is also a fact that the bureaucracy too gave a cold shoulder response to PTI ministers and MPs due to which these ministers and MPs were unable to get things done for the people from their home constituencies, which generated disenchantment among the PTI supporters.
The Prime Minister and his team are now banking upon the so-called letter or diplomatic cable that reportedly came from Pakistan’s former Ambassador to USA Asad Majeed. The cable contents were based on his meetings with the US officials including the Assistant Secretary of State dealing with Pakistan. In the meetings the US officials expressed concerns about the PTI government’s governance and the lopsided foreign policy, which according to them was based on anti-American sentiments. Realistically speaking this letter or cable cannot help the prime minister and the PTI government to turn the tide. It is too late now. The damage has been done. It has been my consistent view that the prime minister will not complete his five year term. It is not because I am an astrologer. It is because we do not have any such precedent. And I can say now that a prime minister who will take charge after the 2023 elections may also not complete his five year term. The reasons for this are multiple, which I can share in some other article. Keeping in view this scenario, I think the tenure of the assemblies should be reduced to four years instead of five years. That may help prime ministers complete their term.
All said and done, as per the opposition announcement PML N President Shehbaz Sharif will be the Prime Minister for the interim period. Now the question is will this interim set up complete rest of one and half years or early elections would be called. My understanding and information is that PML N would like to call early elections, maybe after the budget since the move will politically help Muslim League. As I wrote in my last piece, the PPP wants to complete the remaining period for two reasons, first in case of early elections the PPP had to dissolve the Sindh assembly as well and secondly it wanted some more time for electioneering.
PML Q and PML N at one point in time had almost decided to work together and PML N was ready to accept Pervez Elahi as the Punjab Chief Minister but then Pervez Elahi committed a political suicide by joining the government camp. The reason why PML N and PML Q agreement could not materialize was PML N’s insistence on holding of early elections, preferably within four to five months. The PML Q wanted to have a full remaining term.
The people of Pakistan are not concerned about who comes and who goes. They simply want resolution of their problems and the question that boggles the mind is whether these parties having divergent views and religious orientation, shall be able to provide some relief to the hapless people? I don’t think so. All of them have already served multiple tenures yet our problems remain the same. Maybe a temporary relief can be announced in order to beguile the public and keep their hopes alive. And that’s it.
