There is some softening up for sitting PM for a good reason i.e. The Green Shoots.
Before last elections, in order to assume office, he gathered the waste of past political garbage. This became his Achilles heel which made him look week both politically and personally. It felt as if for petty political gains, he is compromising on his longstanding slogan and promise of nipping the corruption in the bud and providing justice to people. By holding onto those people like Tareen, Sawti, Aleem and by giving them Ministerial portfolios, it gave the impression that IK was protecting them. Particularly, Tareen with his business empire, something was black in this Daal (pulse). Same was the case with deep pocket thick head Swati and land mafia guru Aleem Khan, however Zulfi Bukhari is a classic case of nepotism based on frienship with a rich boy. These are the prominent names whereas JKT in his reactive interview with the Nadeem Malik admitted that he was the architect of electables' saga. He actually absolved Imran Khan of this cardinal sin but his judgement lapse still remains an area of concern.
In my own constituency where he gave tickets to Maj (R) Tahir Sadiq who won two NA seats. But when he was not given any ministerial portfolio, he turned aginst PTI and made PML (N)'s victory sure in the constituency he vacated. So, before by-elections, Tahir Sadiq showed his true colors of opportunism, disloyalty and a national Assembly seat got wasted rather two seats because the one he retained was also useless. Another vivid case of judgement failure.
Issue is not only the inclusion of electables but there is a whole set of people who come along with these electables. An army of battle hardy political workers who are immersed in corrupt practices to the core. Another full grown Mafia of little rascals who work on behest of political thugs in a constituency. Batha collection, transfers to lucrative Mozas of Patwari for advance lump sum then monthly, all wheeling and dealing inside a constituency, bestowing permits to favoured notables, land grabbing, patronizing 'kun tuttas' like Taji Khokhar and this list goes on. Media's blackmailing bloodsucking leeches are party to it. Instead of exposing or doing some brave and honest investigative journalism on them, you can see videos on Youtube, them doing rave review on grandeur of Taji Khokhar's Dera.
By the way, since the outbreak of Corona Pandemic, has anyone seen any political thug or his army of henchmen in any constituency working for people's welfare like they do before elections. For general election they gather contributions as investments from those people of wealth whom they return these favors on getting into political offices. Then those corner meetings, loads of biryani, total optics of people's welfare from affluent of the same mohallah or halqa. These 'respectable' families take lead from notable political leaders. The entire political hierachy deems it their right to further their own businesses, properties and connections at the expense of poor people of their constituency. That is why politics is the most profitable business these days. But in crisis like this Pandemic, all these corrupt cowards are hiding in their mouse holes. Their bravery and political leadership is restricted only to talk shows where the match is already fixed. They work in sync with media on the principle of you scratch my back, I scratch your back. If media con artists get in trouble, politicians bail them out or give them favors like plots (e.g Mir Khali-ur-Rehman's currrent case), late night expensive parties or other gratifications in cash or kind. Hence, apparently very engaging political talk or anaylical shows are already compromised. Thumb rule is to be nice to each other, say anything short of exposing their wealth, business or character. So everyone lived happily ever after but that everyone includes only media scavangers and political vultures.
Another cancer of governance is bureaucracy. The moment these civil officers with potential to party with corruption are enrolled, they are practically adopted by political masterminds. Their yardstick of professionalism is loyalty to the political bosses. In the process, they don't learn their own trade. Even now, most civil servants are engaging with their past masters and seeking guidance from them and that is the reason the bureaucracy is not functioning. Hence, top guys e.g Chief Secretary Punjab is being changed time and time again. However, poor team selection by IK has everything to do with it which has been the chink in his armor.
From politicians who grew and matured into this kind of rotten political culture, could we expect any good? Wonder what was IK thinking when he invited all this crap to jon his bandwagon of change.
Notwithstanding all the political ills in our society, hope must float. Hope is the fuel of life. So, if IK claims to tighten the noose around fat corrupt necks of mafias like sugar, atta, IPPs & so on. This definitely gives hope that the real change is in the offing. The change that we yearned for so dearly for so many years, generation after generation. Finally, we have this peace of mind that our next generations may receive a much better Pakistan than what we got. So, the fingers crossed because we still not out of the woods. The execution phase of mega corruption eradication drive is still pending. For the time, otherwise there is no alternative. These are the times of serious crisis like ongoing pandemic, a barrage of disinformation by media and absence of alternative reliable political force. And despite differences on his team selection, thank God, in these crisis, IK is our PM.
However, it is for certain that we cannot continue to live in this political milieu. If there is hope we have to hang on to it. And if it doesn't work out, we are here to make IK accountable for it. But for the time being, seeing those budding 'Green Shoots, ' yes there is some softening of the heart with better hopes for our future generations and motherland.
Only Allah knows the whole Truth.
