14th August: An Unfulfilled Destiny

Ishtiaq Ahmed

14th August is with us again, as it has been the case for the past 75 years. Every year, it is enthusiastically embraced and celebrated with an undiminished appetite. Of course, and very rightly so, given the historical importance of the date and the occasion.

However, this annual milestone should also help us to take stock of the journey travelled thus far towards the national vision that was set before us by the founding fathers of Pakistan.

Sadly, 75 years later, at this moment in time, not only the vision of the founding fathers but, in fact, the very existence of this would-be great nation seems to be in jeopardy.

Today’s Pakistan is in dire straits, with a very real prospect of trading off its political and economic independence and freedom by becoming a proxy state for foreign interests. Therefore, there is much to think about as the mood of celebration momentarily grips the nation with the arrival of August 14.

The years of political feuds, frequent military interventions, and inept internal and external policies have brought the country to the brink of ruin. It’s existence as a viable independent nation is being seriously compromised.

At this juncture, it is pertinent to remember that no civilian prime minister has completed a full term over the seventy-five years of the country’s history, the latest causality being Imran Khan in 2022.

The warped thinking of the current political leadership in government, irrespective of their party political credentials, does not auger well for the future of the country with the mounting national debt, spiralling inflation, a crippled economy, the piling costs of living, and the resurgence of extremist violence.

It is also worth noting that millions affected by the floods in 2022 are still awaiting their rehabilitation and integration, thus prolonging their agony and suffering. In this pressure cooker of a situation, it is of no surprise that the affairs of the country, internal and external, are being ransomed to the will of the military establishment and strong American interests. Presently, there is much correlation between these two powerful players, and the weakened political leadership is simply being outmanoeuvred by this unholy alliance. The biggest challenge for our future civilian government would be to restore the civil independence and integrity of Pakistan.

As the nation moves forward beyond August 14th in anticipation of the national elections in October 2023 with another stop-gap government in place, we may confidently assume that nothing much will change until after the elections and perhaps for some time thereafter. Thus, the fate of the nation will hang in the balance.

The only thing that we can be certain of is a further increase in the national debt, inflation, and the cost of basic life essentials like food, medicine, fuel, gas, and electricity.

The ineptness of the political leadership and the inability of the government operatives to provide a sustainable solution to the disgruntled masses have given ammunition to the extremist elements to exploit the public resentment to their violent ends thus inflicting further discord on a society that is already fragile on many accounts. National unity and cohesion are under severe test. Along with this, the resurgence of extremist groups along its border with Afghanistan is straining its relationship with its neighbour.

Pakistan is also under pressure from the Americans to distance itself from China, America’s other big foe. The Americans are also cultivating a cosy relationship with India seeing it as a strategic ally against the expansive intentions of China in the region. Hence, America is only too content to turn a blind eye to the excesses of India against Pakistan and in Kashmir.

In contrast, the Indian politicians have been very savvy to manage the American fears for their national interests and their quest for India to be regarded as one of the major political and economic forces on the world stage. They are succeeding whilst Pakistan politician’s ineptness and lopsided approach is alienating the country from its neighbours including China, its strongest ally.

The trepidation comes from the fear that nothing much will change and our political leaders will continue to stumble on without any real purpose and design.

Nothing has happened since the demise of IK to suggest that the political leadership of the country has the will or the capacity to put the country’s affairs first. The current political shenanigans playing out in Pakistan do not inspire confidence that things will be much different after the national elections.

IK has been taken out of the equation. PTI has disintegrated with wholesale disaffections. With the removal of IK from the scene, the path has been cleared for the PMN-N and the PPP to strengthen their political stranglehold on the country. Therefore, the omens are that the Pakistani nation will have more of the same.

The author is a British citizen of Pakistani origin with a keen interest in Pakistani and international affairs.