Alvi For National Unity

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: President Arif Alvi has advised politicians and other stakeholders to give credence to forgiveness and compassion.

Addressing the flag hoisting ceremony on the occasion of Independence Day in Islamabad, the President expressed these views: everyone should come forward for Pakistan.

The President spoke empathetically, stating that when a country doesn’t have justice, it gets disintegrated and Pakistan is going through turbulent times. He asked all stakeholders in national affairs to build consensus to avoid conflict.

It is not wrong to say Pakistan in the past few decades made decisions that were not in the national interest and there is no second opinion that Pakistan faced a plethora of problems, namely aggression from India, intervention from international forces, civil-military relations, the feudal system and a lack of resources.

Performance of the Out-going Govt: https://thepenpk.com/performance-of-outgoing-pdm-govt/

The constitution given by the forefathers was democratic but the generations after lacked the capacity to pursue it.

This problem has become evident in recent times when simple orders from the governor or president, for that matter, are refused by subordinate authorities on one pretext or another. The ambiguity and interpretation of the law resulted in antagonism in the political process, damaging democratic values and norms.

The people at the helm of affairs have not done justice to the responsibilities entrusted to them as the national exchequer was plundered and looted without remorse.

President Alvi cited a recent example to support the argument: the 2022 floods, where 30 million people and more lost their livelihoods. Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto pledged to match the aid from the donors in an international donor conference, but corrupt practices and eyewash tactics resulted in donors sidestepping the commitment.

The donations received were used for political engineering and the ruling elite used them for their gains, leaving nothing in the treasury. The economic woes of Pakistan exacerbated with every hour.

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There is no second opinion. Political parties made a lot of sacrifices, with Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, getting shot and killed in Liaqat Bagh in 2007. History repeats itself; it was at the same venue where the sitting prime minister in 1951, Liaqat Ali Khan, was shot dead. Pakistan has been nurtured with blood and had the heartbreaking tragedy of the Army Public School not happened, the politicians would never have gathered for a consensus on the National Action Plan.

President Alvi stressed unity while addressing the looming terrorist threat that is intensifying. He made it clear that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), for fulfilling its motives, ruined the country. Ousting the PTI government prematurely from the national scene has made the entire nation witness their performance.

The woeful economic front has Pakistan failing in its international commitments and loan repayments; the remittances have decreased; the growth rate has dwindled; and above all, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been very harsh and humiliating in dictating its terms and conditions.

There is no relief for the commoner as scores died in a stampede for a bag of subsidised flour that was not fit for human consumption. This should end and we are, if Pakistan is.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

The article is assessment of the writer and it can be contrary to the editorial policy of the organization.