Pakistan is at the crossroad once again for similar reasons, and the biggest reason of all is that political instability is unrelenting as politicians fighting with each other, throwing the country and its economy down the hill. What is more interesting is that people are at the receiving end and bearing all the pressure which begs the question: for how long will the country remain this way with leaders who are unable to manage the country?
The center of the country is rudderless as not only is the economy is troubling but there is also the case of increasing acts of terror. The most recent one was in Islamabad but thanks to the police for foiling the attempt at the beginning.
Soon after this, the US embassy along with many others issued their diplomats a warning that they could be under attack. This put Pakistan in further trouble, completely putting the image of the country at risk. Though terrorism has been a perennial issue in Pakistan, it has worsened recently because of state failure to take a hard decision especially given the current political instability that has brought the country and its people, especially, the economy, at risk. To put simply, political instability is reflecting on the economy amid rising terrorism.
Instead of putting the country in order, both the government and opposition are stuck with their own political agendas. Punjab in particular, the biggest province of Pakistan, is presenting a dismal picture where the government is trying to stop Imran Khan from dissolving assembly who is adamant on bringing the country down for the reason that he is not given the dates of elections.
For want of more power despite controlling three province of Pakistan, Imran Khan is the reason for why political instability is not reducing, and it is poorly reflecting on economy as business cannot flourish with the gloomy environment whereby nobody is sure what will happen next.
The PTI claims to have done well economically well despite the fact that it had collected a record debt and took loans double the amount that Pakistan had received over the last 75 years. The coalition government, though, is of the opinion that it has received a very poor economy is partially true in what it says but what it has failed to do is to turn the economy around not because of incompetency but because of its failure to establish a political consensus.
Yet this government says that it has sacrificed its political capital in the national interest. Given this situation, the government needs not to expose itself by making poor claims. Instead, it should try to convince Khan for sitting on the table so that an charter on economy could be signed so as to bring stability, which will also help Pakistan to build consensus on how to move forward not only in improving economy but also on how to go ahead with the threat of terrorism. Unless, a political consensus is achieved by making mutual efforts by both the government and apposition, no one can bring Pakistan out of the economic crisis and terrorism.
Despite knowing the way forward for Pakistan, that is, the political stability, all of the stakeholders are doing the apposite thing. While the government blames the apposition that because of its appeasement policy via talking to TPP has brought terrorism to the country, the apposition is saying that due to change in its policy the TTP has been strengthened, meaning thereby that even the issue of terrorism, because of which people are losing their lives, fails to push our current lot away from pointing fingers and take steps in the right direction. Given the politicization of politics, economy and terrorism in the country, it is clearly indicative of the fact that Pakistan would be doomed if it did not change its course of action.
Last but not the least, in the face of chaos, people always choose order. In the case of Pakistan, the order would be a charter on economy and democracy which will bring end to the political crisis and then create a viable environment where the state takes control of terrorism. Will Pakistan move towards this dimension is a question every political actor ask themselves if Pakistan is to be saved.
Shahzaib Hassan is a freelance columnist. Haider Abbas has a master degree in criminology and interested in studying the terror activities across Pak-AF border.
The center of the country is rudderless as not only is the economy is troubling but there is also the case of increasing acts of terror. The most recent one was in Islamabad but thanks to the police for foiling the attempt at the beginning.
Soon after this, the US embassy along with many others issued their diplomats a warning that they could be under attack. This put Pakistan in further trouble, completely putting the image of the country at risk. Though terrorism has been a perennial issue in Pakistan, it has worsened recently because of state failure to take a hard decision especially given the current political instability that has brought the country and its people, especially, the economy, at risk. To put simply, political instability is reflecting on the economy amid rising terrorism.
Instead of putting the country in order, both the government and opposition are stuck with their own political agendas. Punjab in particular, the biggest province of Pakistan, is presenting a dismal picture where the government is trying to stop Imran Khan from dissolving assembly who is adamant on bringing the country down for the reason that he is not given the dates of elections.
For want of more power despite controlling three province of Pakistan, Imran Khan is the reason for why political instability is not reducing, and it is poorly reflecting on economy as business cannot flourish with the gloomy environment whereby nobody is sure what will happen next.
The PTI claims to have done well economically well despite the fact that it had collected a record debt and took loans double the amount that Pakistan had received over the last 75 years. The coalition government, though, is of the opinion that it has received a very poor economy is partially true in what it says but what it has failed to do is to turn the economy around not because of incompetency but because of its failure to establish a political consensus.
Yet this government says that it has sacrificed its political capital in the national interest. Given this situation, the government needs not to expose itself by making poor claims. Instead, it should try to convince Khan for sitting on the table so that an charter on economy could be signed so as to bring stability, which will also help Pakistan to build consensus on how to move forward not only in improving economy but also on how to go ahead with the threat of terrorism. Unless, a political consensus is achieved by making mutual efforts by both the government and apposition, no one can bring Pakistan out of the economic crisis and terrorism.
Despite knowing the way forward for Pakistan, that is, the political stability, all of the stakeholders are doing the apposite thing. While the government blames the apposition that because of its appeasement policy via talking to TPP has brought terrorism to the country, the apposition is saying that due to change in its policy the TTP has been strengthened, meaning thereby that even the issue of terrorism, because of which people are losing their lives, fails to push our current lot away from pointing fingers and take steps in the right direction. Given the politicization of politics, economy and terrorism in the country, it is clearly indicative of the fact that Pakistan would be doomed if it did not change its course of action.
Last but not the least, in the face of chaos, people always choose order. In the case of Pakistan, the order would be a charter on economy and democracy which will bring end to the political crisis and then create a viable environment where the state takes control of terrorism. Will Pakistan move towards this dimension is a question every political actor ask themselves if Pakistan is to be saved.
Shahzaib Hassan is a freelance columnist. Haider Abbas has a master degree in criminology and interested in studying the terror activities across Pak-AF border.