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Game Over!

Half his term gone, Prime Minister Imran Khan is still groping in the dark.

By S.R.H. Hashmi | May 2021

Unlike PML-N and PPP, Imran Khan’s PTI had no previous performance record at the federal level. However, the masses, thoroughly disillusioned with corrupt dynasties, voted for PTI, persuaded by its good performance in KP and, more than that, believing in Imran Khan’s promises. Imran Khan’s popularity as a World Cup winning captain and his welfare work in the field of health and education also helped. Moreover, people believed that having enjoyed fame as well as a fairly comfortable lifestyle, he would not be greedy and corrupt like most Pakistani leaders are.

However, even all this, plus help from the establishment and involvement of Jahangir Tareen, together with his connections, finance and flying machines, brought PTI just a slim majority in Punjab and at the centre, with coalition partners of course.

As such, the propping up of PTI at the centre and in Punjab was rather a gamble which could go awry, as it has indeed done.

The reasons for PTI’s dismal performance are many. Apart from the obvious lack of experience as admitted by Imran Khan himself, there is his unwillingness even to use available talent, made worse with his stubbornness to retain, come what may, characters like Usman Buzdar as the Chief Minister of Punjab which province plays the role of a king-maker or breaker.

In a recent article titled ‘Team failure’, Dr. Farrukh Saleem says, ”In 32 months, the PTI is now experimenting with its third minister of finance, fifth FBR chairman, fourth Board of Investment chairman, fourth secretary of commerce, sixth IG Punjab, ninth secretary of higher education, third secretary of finance, fifth secretary of interior, fourteenth assistant commissioner of Bhakkar, sixth commissioner of Lahore and seventh commissioner of Gujranwala”, adding ”First there is no ‘common vision’ within the PTI government, second, things are not changing for good.”

One would think that if changing so many factors on one side of the equation fails to balance it, the solution lies in changing two constants on the other side, UB and IK.

How spineless is the government can be guessed from the fact that it signed an agreement with the TLP - formed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, now deceased, and now led by his son. It had demanded the French ambassador’s deportation, ratification of the Blasphemy Bill, and a ban on French goods after blasphemous sketches were published in France that had sparked protests across the Muslim world. Surely, the government had to take appropriate action at diplomatic level to convey the nation’s sentiment on the matter. However, surrendering before a militant outfit which had challenged the state’s writ by blocking traffic between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters was most shameful.

This has been widely condemned, even by federal ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari. Such moves could stifle even genuine discussion.

Just the other day, Imran Khan unnecessarily kicked up a controversy by making uncalled for remarks in connection with rising cases of rape in the country; he chose to blame the victims for the heinous crime. It is a shame that despite his lack of knowledge, experience and depth, he feels free to blurt out on just about any topic, thus exposing his extreme insensitivity.

Also, at times, one has to part ways even with one’s close associates. But the decent ones among us do so in a manner that causes least hurt to the other person’s feelings. However, Imran Khan habitually discards people like a used tissue paper. He did so with Dr. Hafeez Shaikh, despite claiming earlier that the economy was improving and the credit for it would go to Dr. Hafeez Shaikh. However, on PTI’s failure to get him elected as a senator, Imran Khan just sent him packing, blaming him for inflation. This is most despicable.

There is also the sorry show of the supposed import of cotton yarn and sugar from India, for which the summary was signed by Imran Khan as Minister of Commerce and Textiles and approved by the Economic Coordination Committee, with the new Finance Minister gladly announcing it to the public. But later, the cabinet, presided by Imran Khan as Prime Minister, rejected it. What a joke!

Then, there is the tussle with Jahangir Tareen which could even result in an unceremonious ouster of Imran Khan himself. Perhaps it is time for him to announce fresh elections, paving the way for the formation of a national government comprising competent persons of integrity across party lines. A simpler solution could be a ‘minus IK’ formula, with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi serving as PM for the remaining term and Jahangir Tareen managing PTI from behind the curtain. He could even firm up the party for a convincing win at the next general election. By initiating the process himself and departing gracefully, Imran Khan would earn the gratitude of the people.

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