Political polarization paralyses Pakistan

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: The public reaction seen after the assassination attempt during long march at Wazirabad on former prime minister Imran Khan who head Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) reinforces the impression that the violence in politics, especially in Pakistan, has not ended. The government should have come with confidence building measures to calm the aggrieved and agitated PTI workers.
Instead, the state ministers continuously made provocative statements that incited the PTI workers leading to a nationwide agitation.
PTI supporters and sympathizers are criticizing the institutions. The unfolding scenario comes with layers upon layers of revelations about those who maybe behind the attempted assassination. The key question remains will it be proven?
Violence in national politics is fuelled by political stalwarts. Their statements should be subject to the law of the land but somehow is overlooked. The political elite with their clout have moulded everything in their favour and they achieve whatever they aspire for.
The gap between the rich and poor also determines how law of the land plays out in execution of justice.
Frequently headlines about the misappropriation and plundering of the national exchequer and colossal scams by a corrupt few have made society overall very resentful and vindictive.
The authoritarian regimes in Pakistan were welcomed in the past and masses looked up to them for taking the corrupts to task. The dream of bringing dishonest and disloyal to justice is and has always been many light years away from the citizens of ‘land of the pure’ and generations have gone old with the slogan of ‘Accountability For All’.
General Pervez Musharraf’s National Reconciliation Order was a major setback for the public and with Imran Khan’s ouster from prime minister’s office has given rise to the thought that a commoner in Pakistan has no role and will stay as neglected.
The society with every passing day has become polarized as expectations have perpetually not been met and across the board accountability’ , has remained a slogan without a progress.
Assassination attempt on Imran Khan has also resulted in injuries to others. This require a due dili process of transparent investigation but what happened was on the contrary.  The attacker’s interview was aired right after getting caught giving rise many questions. The public is rightly asking: is this the way police investigate an assassination attempt on a popular leader?
Liaquat Ali Khan was shot dead addressing a public gathering and police killed the killer on the spot. Benazir Bhutto came back in 2007, a suicide attack was carried out on her procession at Karsaz, Karachi, resulting in 150 workers getting martyred. Benazir Bhutto survived but after two months martyred after addressing a public meeting in Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi.
These events are part of the national history and public retains a clear memory that nothing happened and the cause and efforts of public leaders has gone in vain. These incidents also give credence to the public belief that the State as a whole is too weak to safeguard and ensure justice.