Pakistan: Basing the system on personal desires
Muhammad Khurshid
Journalist by passion and Founder of Voice For Peace based in Bajaur Tribal District
The country's political crisis seems to be intensifying instead of ending. A big hand in the severity of the crisis is the personal desires of the political leaders who are in conflict with each other who wish to use the state system to suppress their opponents. This creates the fear of the state system being contaminated by political interference. In civilized democratic states, political party positions and government leadership are kept separate. This prevents state resources from being wasted in political activities. The government machinery also works independently from government pressure. This does not happen in Britain and America, not even in India.
It has been heard for a long time in our dear country that the palm of democracy is still newborn. It has been repeatedly reminded for some reason that every leader is developed in the nursery of the establishment. Leaders who cultivate false traditions in the name of learning democratic values are over. Despite meeting, his behavior did not change. Still on a deal with the establishment to return to power. ?It is believed that this is the reason why a political party that is favorable to the establishment during its time in power becomes anti-establishment as soon as it loses power. PML-N's chief organizer Maryam Nawaz's anti-establishment statements against officials of state institutions have been coming to the fore with frequency.
These days, Maryam Nawaz is visiting different cities of Punjab to organize the party. During these visits, she repeats one thing that accountability should be held before the election and the scales should be leveled. All the cases against Nawaz Sharif should be closed. They should be brought back to the country and they should be given an opportunity to run the election campaign of Muslim League-N in the next general elections. The chief organizers of PML-N are constantly demanding that their opponent PTI chief Imran Khan should be arrested.
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This situation is alarming in the sense that FIRs are continuously registered against Imran Khan in different parts of the country. So far, the number of FIRs is said to be 78. Most of the cases are based on weak legal points, so bail is obtained from the court. On getting bail, Muslim League-N and its other allied parties will blame the courts. This behavior seems to have led to political tensions leading to administrative intervention. The PTI chairman has been saying that his opponents want to hold elections after his arrest or disqualification.
?If Imran Khan is removed from the discussion of government ministers and members, he might not be able to speak for three minutes. On the other hand, it is also a fact that in politics, the whole system does not work by keeping it under one leader or political party. Political parties put their manifestos in front of the voters. Effective policies are made based on the points that the voters support. Imran Khan's non-recognition of the mandate of other political parties is stabilizing the system. Keep discussing national issues. When one gets power, he implements his policies in such a way that it does not affect the basic democratic rights of any party.
For economic improvement, debt relief, population control, environment-friendly measures, agricultural development, increase in industrial production and raising the standard of living of the people, dialogue should be held with the opposing politicians. If there are defects, then play a role equal to their mandate. The popularity of the other parties is less, but they still have some support of the people, which should be respected. The sad fact is that when the country is facing political instability, economic collapse and security challenges, the political leaders who claim to run the state are not ready to make room for each other and to back down from their personal quarrels for the sake of the country's interest. When the attention of the administration that runs the country is focused on suppressing and punishing the opponents, the sufferings of the common man will not be resolved.
The development of a society and state depends on the collective thinking and goals of the people there. If the interest is limited to political revenge, then there is no focus on getting rid of the problems facing the country. It would be better to put aside the personal fight and legal battle and move forward according to the constitution and law. The country cannot afford to remain trapped in this conflict for long. Institutions are being defamed in the political fight. The end of the crisis can begin with dialogue. Then, step by step, agreement on the national economic agenda can be reached.