The ‘Tit-For-Tat Politics of Pakistan

Ishtiaq Ahmed
The ‘tit-for-tat’  politics of Pakistan reaches new heights. Whilst the PTI seems to be on full charge, the government is doing everything possible to put legal shackles on Imran Khan, determined to have him disqualified and imprisoned.

The war of attrition between Maryam Nawaz and Imran Khan has taken an ugly turn. Gloves are totally off, political diplomacy abandoned and the ethical code of political decency set aside. This is a new face of the ‘gutter politics’ in national politics never seen before; more of a personal hatred being played out on the political stage, and not even remotely about Pakistan.
Whilst the political leaders are engaged in throwing punches and counter-punches at each other, the public is being crushed by the out-of-control rises in essential life-sustaining items-food and basic amenities.

It is heartbreaking to see old men, women and children queuing up for hours to obtain a bag of flour. This should not be happening in a country that was only recently self-sufficient in food. But standing in line for hours for a bag of flour is now an everyday reality for millions.

The worst impact of spiralling inflation, rising prices and the downturn in the economy is on the middle-range white-collar workers, those at the lower end of the income bracket, the casual workers, and the unemployed.
Begging which has always been a visible social ill in our society has doubled and trebled in numbers. I have personally experienced decently dressed and respectable looking men and women approaching for a small amount of cash to buy food or medicine for their families.
The other day as I was leaving the bank with my wife and my nephew, as we got into the car, a decently dressed man in his late fifties approached us for some help towards medicine for his ageing mother.

Only Allah knows whether his plea was genuine or not but it seemed very genuine to us. Yes, it is true that ‘ beggary’ has become a profession for many but it is also true that ordinary, normally decent and hard working people are being forced to beg to survive because their usual income streams have either been squeezed or destroyed by the down tum in the country’s economy.
The tug of war between the political forces is also compromising the integrity of the country’s principal institutions, particularly the judiciary.

Every time I turn the TV on for an update on news, there is another writ and the counter writ being filled to the highest courts of the country. The very echelons of the judicial system which should be processing and dispensing justice for the citizens are being kept occupied by politically motivated legal cases and counter cases.

The police which should be focusing protecting citizens are being kept occupied to facilitate and manage political rallies and antics thus giving a free hand to criminals and tricksters to do as they please.

One senses a sharp surge in thefts and violent crimes. The worst suffers of violence are women and children which is often the case when the family is in financial distress that is certainly the case in the present climate.

This is an inevitable outcome when those responsible for the protection of the public are being kept engaged, occupied and distracted elsewhere.
The inability or the unwillingness of the authorities to hold national elections is doing untold damage to the country’s credibility abroad. Pakistan has become a laughing stock and a symbol of ridicule, to be mocked about not only by our staunch enemies but also throughout the evolving democratic world.

It is true that the incumbent caretaker government is fearful of losing badly to Imran Khan given his increasing public popularity and the predicted public backlash incensed by the rising inflation and the consequential rise in prices of household items.
The coalition politicians genuinely fear Imran Khan’s popularity despite attempts by them to discredit him. It appears that Mariam Nawaz has been given a free hand for the full frontal attack on Imran in which nothing is being held back.

Fearing his sustained and growing popularity, the coalition make-shift family of politicians have decided to take Imran Khan out of the political equation by discrediting him with voters and/ or to have him locked up, hence, the unleashing of Myriam Nawaz onslaught which seems to have no boundaries. It points to the desperation of the coalition government politicians. But this strategy at the grassroots level, instead, of paying dividends, in-fact, is adding to the popularity of Imran Khan and the PTI. Sensing this, his disqualification and imprisonment is being pursued vigorously.
At the present, it is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty what the final outcome maybe of this tit-for-tack war of attrition. What is certain that Pakistan and it’s citizens will be much poorer. May Allah (swt) bless our political leaders with some basic political sense and wisdom. Pakistan at the present is short of two things: rain and sensible politicians.

I know that people are collectively praying for the rain, let us also pray for the common sense to prevail amongst our political leadership fraternity.

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