Economic crunch with a load of debt to be paid in the next fiscal year, inflation likely to push another chunk of the population under the poverty line, and the constant political instability are salient features of Pakistan after Election 2024. The positive indicators are the election of Pakistan’s president and healthy competition amongst the federal and provincial governments, which are active in addressing the people’s problems.
The general elections proved to be another controversy like the previous elections. However, it was a bit different in the way that all parties, including those who swept majority seats and formed governments, complained of post-poll rigging. The PTI’s parliamentary group, known as Sunni Ittehad Council, under the instruction of its jailed founder Imran Khan, is effectively keeping the treasury benches under pressure in the National and Punjab assemblies because of their strength.
The PTI, on the other hand, adopted another strategy to targeting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz by accusing her of plotting to kill its leaders.
Sher Afzal Marwat, Senior Vice President of the PTI and an MNA known for his aggression, told the media in a presser, ‘I have credible information that Maryam Nawaz has masterminded my assassination for which she has engaged an international cartel.’Shandana Gulzar, an MNA from Peshawar, said in another presser, ‘I have heard a telephone call, recorded by someone, that revealed that Maryam Nawaz directed her supporters to crush a PTI activist, Zille Shah, under a jeep.’
In response to the allegations, the PML-N complained to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which called Shandana Gulzar and asked her to provide evidence of her accusation.
On the other hand, the Punjab Home Department banned relatives and friends’ visits to the prisoners, including IK in Adiyala Jail, for security reasons on March 12 for two weeks. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari told Wayward, ‘A few days ago, security forces arrested a group of terrorists who were planning to attack Adiyala Jail. Sensing the security threats to the jail and inmates, the government banned visits to the jail for meeting the inmates.’
Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan translated this ban into something serious. He said, ‘Serious threats to IK’s life are looming inside the jail; therefore, the government should permit PTI lawyers and leaders to meet with IK.’
It all depicts a bleak picture of politics in the coming days. It appears that politics would be further eclipsed by intolerance and deep polarisation. It would stop the government from performing on the economic front; therefore, a charter of reconciliation is much needed in the present scenario.
People wishing for national reconciliation have high hopes with President Asif Zardari, known as the master of reconciliation. In the past, President Zardari, on requests by a couple of IK’s sympathisers, made a couple of attempts to bridge the differences between the establishment and IK before May 9, 2024, but seeing the stubbornness of IK, he gave up his efforts. This time he may play a role provided the PTI and IK show some flexibility. PTI’s Senator Ali Zafar says, ‘PTI can think about reconciliation for economic development in Pakistan if the government meets three demands. First, the government should order an audit of the election results in specified constituencies. Second, our female prisoners must be released immediately, and third, PTI must be allowed to carry out its protest rallies freely.’
It is worth mentioning here that the police come into action wherever PTI wants to stage protests. PTI announced protests across Pakistan on March 10 against the election results but managed to stage some shows in KP only. In Lahore, Police arrested former Governor Punjab Latif Khosa and IK’s Lawyer Salman Akram Raja along with other MPAs and activists and kept them in lockups for a night.
Interestingly, PTI looks unable to differentiate between friend and foe. Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spoke in PTI’s favor on the floor of the National Assembly but when he uttered a single word against them for their attitude, a group of PTI’s parliamentarians reached close to him and started shouting slogans. It looks like PTI leaders like Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan are unable to control their aggressive parliamentarians, the majority of whom have been elected for the first time.
Still, one can hope that IK and his party will leap towards reconciliation and open up talks with the ruling alliance. Before Election 2024, it was hard to believe that PTI could negotiate with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Khan Achakzai. However, a PTI delegation led by Former Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser called on the Maulana and discussed rigging in the elections. Surprisingly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai was a PTIbacked candidate for the presidential elections against Asif Zardari.
If PTI continues with its politics of clash with the political forces and the establishment, the country will not only further plunge into the economic crisis, but its provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also suffer as it is dependent on the federal government because of National Finance Commission Award and other payments. Already, KP Government is facing scarcities of funds. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, facing the danger of being disqualified for not mentioning his entire assets in the nomination papers, is also in his eternal aggressive mode which can add to the sufferings of the people of his province.
On the other hand, Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz is proactively working for the welfare of her province and trying hard to beat her predecessors like her uncle and father, who also served as the CM. She has provided some assistance as a Ramadan Package to 6.4 million families in Punjab. She has also laid the foundation for a cancer hospital in Lahore and made revolutionary measures to control the bureaucracy.
CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah is also working hard to alleviate the crime rate in Karachi and other parts of the provinces besides planning for poverty alleviation.
CM Baluchistan Sarfraz Bugti was in the torrential rainhit areas of Gawadar the next day after becoming the Chief Minister and supervised the rehabilitation of the affected population. The CM KP should focus on the issues of his province instead of toeing the line that leads to further clashes.
President Asif Zardari and the PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif should thrash out a plan to bring PTI to the negotiation table as the most senior politicians of the country; otherwise, pulling Pakistan out of the economic catastrophe will remain a dream.
The writer is President Media Foundation 360, Executive Editor News Lens Pakistan, and fortnightly ‘Truth Tracker
