Saturday 7 September 2019

PTI's poor performance in power

Signs of PTI's performance shall be visible by fourth year in office, we should give it time. So did we because many friends and others did not approve of any critique on toddler govt for their newly found passion for politics and PTI. They saw PTI as a fresh breath of air and their hopes were kindled. But staying quiet anymore seems unfair to Pakistan. Hope must stay alive but a sweet false hope is much more dangerous than a bitter reality check. Before we have a reality check on PTI's output, another unfortunate stark reality of our politics is that there is no political opposition nor the presence of an alternative political force to challenge PTI. Being on 'one page' is also doing us no real good. Establishment-PTI romance is like overprotective grandparents spoiling their third generation who eventually turn into insolent brats.
Now the reality check. PTI govt or should we say Imran Khan because PTI is one man party like other political forces. Hence, every good & bad thing reflects on his leadership. For his army of nincompoop ministers & brigades of advisors, again he gets the blame because at some slots he intentionally didn't choose strong men like Punjab & KPK CMs and on other ministerial portfolios he didn't have much choice. Collectively, they are like an obedient herd of sheep, no leadership traits whatsoever. Because first leadership trait has to be difference of opinion particularly when things are this bad. Unfortunately, if anyone had a thinking mind or difference of opinion was shown the door e.g Hafeez Sheikh for Asad Umer whereas economy is still doing bad, was a poor decision whatever the political compulsions were at that time. Its like economy is not doing well, ok then throw Asad Umer under the bus. 

PTI has only done well on foreign front for two men: an active foreign minister and an amatuer PM across the wall. Had Chai-wala not committed blunders of 27 February and 5 August, there virtually would have been nothing to show on PTI's report card.
One would have thought that 'nabbing' political opponents through limited top down approach would have worked its magic for two reasons: one that corruption would be checked & two that it would bring back looted money. Selective 'justice' limited to opposition's top leadership is principally a flawed strategy which is unlikely to recover amounts that may alter the economic fate of this country.
Is there any need to elaborate economic blunders like unreal inflation, spike in exchange rates, plummeting stocks, skyrocketing tariffs, growing unemployment, faltering businesses, snail paced CPEC, increasing interest rates etc. Not a single positive economic indicator to show for niether in sight.
PTI came to power at the back of KPK govt's experience of complete term. It got votes on reforms' slogan. No reforms are in the offing through legislation because there is no majority in both houses, hence the option of presidential ordinances seems to be choice of the hour. But that too has backfired on withdrawal of cess gas ordinance. In the hindsight, the only thought process that seemed to have gone in was how Razzaq Daud and his accomplices could safeguard their business interests through this ordinance.
Bad governance of past & Medina brand governance of PTI used to be the top electioneering slogan. It turned out to be a slogan only. Is there any need to elaborate shambolic state of governance, particularly in Punjab. On political issue of Brexit, two PMs of Britain have been changed and fate of the third still hangs in balance but Usman Buzdar (Waseem Akram plus (Made in China)) cannot be changed. We often hear PM raving about UK's system of governance but political rhetoric is one thing and action is another. Probably, reverting this decision seems like fulfilling Imran Khan's definition of U-turn. Rest all U-turns including cess gas seemed to fall short of that criteria or were those U-turns at all? 
Every minister including PM has opposition's corruption to blame for every question pertaining to their inability to deliver. Pretty much a patwari mindset. PM has one speech to deliver whether its his inauguration, Capital One Arena or face-off with India in same tenor & tone; a clear sign of intellectual incapacity to tailor things to occasion.
The biggest disadvantage to nation is absence of political opposition. Surely, PML (N) & PPP have failed the test of time. Political vacuum is so bad that even Maulana is sweating to gain few points by asuming lead role of the pack of wolves. Imran Khan seems to have accepted the role of boy of the 'boys' as Cyril Almeida of Dawn Leaks would put it. Situation is so ludicrous that twats like Cyril began to sound prophetic. Probably because honey-moon of being on 'one-page' has served both sides well. Govt is not delivering & army chief despite 41 years of exhaustive service to nation, willy-nilly crowned to be the unofficial king of the country for another three years (no pun intended). Establishment could still do much better by pointing out the problem areas since jitters of extensiin are out of the way. 
Mulling corrupt leadership of other political parties & bad mouthing their past inadequacies was ok in first year of PTI's govt. In second year, there should have been some signs of promised 'change'. The nation is in quandary. On one side fantasy of change & on the other side the deep sea. But we must have some way out of it. We need an alternative political force better than PTI, only then politics in this country can flourish through which the country may progress in the right direction. The alternative political force must also refuse to sit in the lap of establishment. A political force that defies status quo and does not hide behind Armored protected sheilds.
Those who believe that change has come to pass must know that its a continuous process because everything is permanent except change.
Only Allah knows the whole Truth.

5 comments:

  1. Establishment-PTI romance is like overprotective grandparents spoiling their third generation who eventually turn into insolent brats :) Exactly.

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  2. Issue to be considered is what choices do we have. I hope the sharifs or zardaris are not under consideration. PTI is alive as long as IK is heads it. If IK goes down, PTI will go down automatically. Don't forget what IK' predecessors did in last ten years. More tragic is how they kept on being elected to the top slots. They are leading the campaign against him in desperation. Conclusion is that your only choice is to put your weight behind him.

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  3. I would still put my weight behind IK and his team! A sincere and dedicated leader at the top still guarantees a outcome which eventually will be in line with the aspirations of the people;InshaAllah! My prayers and good wishes.
    Rizwan

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  4. Good that you have idenfied the romance. History is full of romances. Things will never change with this mind set. Untouchables should be touchables otherwise no hopes.

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