The Current Situation And The Governance

It has been almost one and half year of PML (N) led Federal Government to complete but the situation is going from bad to verse. On the  Economic  front  , it has achieved  a  tremendous  success  but on the  Security front, it has been facing  the  constant internal and  External threats  . The Bomb blasts  , extortion and  Communal riots are  on the rise  and  the  whole  country is  going  through the  most dangerous and  critical  security  situation which shows  no sign of  improvement  .

Despite failure of  dialogue  with  Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after  their  conditional  Ceasefire  , So far  no positive  results  have been  experienced  or  observed  as  reported  by the main stream Security analysts . Consequent upon the  Presidential Elections in Afghanistan , the deadline of  NATO forces withdrawal from Afghanistan  is  fast approaching    and with   replacement of  Karzai Government , Pakistan  will be  facing the  Security  threats  from the  TTP factions  existing in  Tribal Areas  , Punjab and  long bordering  Afghanistan . With aggressive  attitude  of  Armed  forces after the induction of  General Pervez Musharaf  in  the high  treason case  of  suspending the  Constitution and  imposing  emergency  in the  country   .

The Army as an institution  is in aggressive mood  as  Renowned  Analyst and Journalist  Najam Sethi has  predicted  that  Army will resist any  capital punishment  given to Former  Chief of Armed Forces  General  Pervez Musharaf.  As the later himself claimed and still claims that the Army is with him. The Statement of  general Pervez Musharaf  that  he  enjoys the  support  from the  Armed Forces cannot be ruled out as Political parties  have  started consultations over  giving  the  safe  exit  to former Armed Chief to avoid institutional confrontation .

The All of Sudden decision of  Armed  forces  to initiate  major  Offensive  against various factions  of   Taliban militants  under the  operation Zarab-e-Azab in North Waziristan and other  Tribal Agencies clearly echoes  the  “all powerful institutional status”  of  the  Armed  Forces  . The judiciary and  The parliament are being overshadowed  by the  Mighty Institution with the  passage of  Protection of  Pakistan  Act 2014  which could  be  used  against the anti state Actors and security  personnel could  detain  any suspect  or  political  Activist for the  period  of  90 days  without reporting the  whereabouts of  the  Detainee.

On other  hand  , After  serious  incident of  Model  Town Lahore  which claimed  12  innocent lives  and  90 persons got  injured,  has  started  a  tug of  war         between the  Strong man Shahbaz  Shareef  and  Revolutionary  Dr  Tahir –ur-Qadri  as the later  has been  criticizing the  Punjab Government  for  bad  governance  and  demanding the  case  may be  registered against  Punjab CM and Security Personnel considering them  responsible for the  Model town Shootout . To remove the  stain from Shahbaz Sharif , Sharif  Brothers  ousted  the  Provincial Law minister Rana  Sanaullah  making him   Sacrificial  Goat . The Gullu Butt Mystery is yet another issue to be reckoned with. The PML (N) seems to be between devil and deep sea to deal with the issues popping up all of sudden.

 

The  PTI’s head  Imran Khan’s Saga  is  yet another pressure tool for the  government to deal  with since  Mr. Khan has  been  demanding  recount of  four  Constituencies of  Lahore  but the  Government  has  not  heeded  to them as  yet  . The Demand  has  been supported  by the  PPP recently which might have  confused  the  already  under pressure  Sharifs  to make some tough decisions  since  PTI’s Announcement for  Freedom March on  14th August  might have  compelled  the  PML (N) government to  make  some  measures  to  cope with the  Freedom March  plan  .

Asif  Ali  Zardari’s recent  statement over  PTI’s  Demand  may have  shaken the  PML (N) leadership since  Zardari’s PPP  enjoys the strong Position  in the  Assembly as well as  in  Senate  which may create hurdles  in the  way of  PML(N)  and  may  create  such a  scenario  where  Midterm Polls  looming  Possibility , may become a  reality  as  with  MQM a coalition partner  in Sindh with  PPP  , both  may force the  Sharifs to accept  the  demands  and  make  some  bitter Decisions which may change the  entire  situation  .

Pakistan has become  the land of   controversies  such as  Dr Arsalan Iftikhar’s recent  Blame game  against PTI chief and  challenging  the  Candidature of  Imran Khan and  PTI challenging  the  Candidature  of  Sharif  brothers  has  other  motives  to  disclose since the  parties  have  been  watching the  situation very  attentively and  joint  opposition Alliance  Possibility  could  not be  ruled out as  every Political party has  got some  Common interest and  every party wants to  win the hearts  of  the  people with their  campaigns  against the  government .

Some  mainstream Parties have  initiated  campaigns against  Rigging , corruption and  energy crisis  , some have raised  issues against operation , some has  criticized  the  privatization road map  for the  State  Institutions ,some have criticized  the  Economic and  Human Rights  Policies  . Some have also criticized the nepotism and favoritism in the appointment of heads of various State Institutions. So much so, that almost every Political Party has a bone to pick with the Government. In this connection, Government has been compelled  by the  prevalent  situation has  decided  to  let the  Freedom Marchers  to March  on Independence  since  the  PML(N) think tanks have  advised  the  Government that  if  government  resisted  to the  Freedom Marchers led  by  Imran Khan  , may  have  serious  repercussion which may  change  the entire scenario and  create  such  situation which may further aggravate the  governance and  PML(N) led  Federal government days may be counted .

The recent  Popularity Survey conducted  by  Gallop and  other Organization show that  PTI enjoys  the  First  Position  , PPP  second and  the  PML(N) has  slipped  to  number three  as  PML(N)’s  popularity  graph has  been constantly  maintaining downward trend  which is  not suitable  for already criticized  party by the  leaders  of  mainstream party  . The People of Pakistan has been fed up with “you –n-me” turns and want this to be changed with performance indicators and visionary leadership. The people have become  fatigued to elect same  legislators  from the  same  constituency  for  consecutive  three decades and  want the  old  faces to be  replaced with new ones  .

As  the oldies  have become controversial  due to corruption , nepotism , favoritism , influence on security agencies and other state machineries  and inefficiency and lack of  clear  policy and vision to materialize  the  promise  they  had  made with the people during their  Election campaigns or  those written in their  Election Manifestos .Election manifestos are  written to attract the  voters to cast their votes in the favor  of  Parties candidate  as nobody  takes  any responsibility to review  the previous  manifestos and  update  the  manifestos with clear vision .

For  instance  , PML(N)  had  promised  to end load shedding in six months  but  failed  miserably  and  heavily criticized  for setting  illogical  targets  without any consultation with Power Sector Specialist or  doing any research on any issue since Except the  PTI ,No any party has  any strategic  Policy unit  to address  the  key issues  and  do some research  present and future  issues  related  Human Rights  , Development , Planning , Demography , Social Development , Economic  Development , Natural Resource Management  , Security , foreign Policy  , Democracy and  Governance and  come  up with lasting solutions to those  issues  of  higher importance  and  drafting their manifestos on the basis of  Research and  Situation analysis  rather than  just  exaggerated calculations  and  making illogical conclusion which be the  basis  for  criticism at a time  when  these same  issues  may become the  cause  of  the  Government failure .

So why not take some initiative in advance to address the issues and find out lasting solutions after Research, analysis and consultations. This will change the whole picture of the governance and bring in innovations in Democratic Process rather than just traditional Politics .