If Imran Khan wants to be seen as an instrument of change for better, then he has to ensure that remnants of Musharraf’s unconstitutional rule or those who served in his political team must not assume any prominent role in his party. Inclusion of political opportunists will defeat his claims of bringing about much needed reforms. There is no longer a politics of Left or Right, or for that matter, any genuine liberal or secular political party in Pakistan.
What we unfortunately have in Pakistan today is politics of opportunism, where there is no national agenda for welfare of the people, or investment in long term infrastructure development. Short stints in power by political parties had nothing concrete to offer, which was any different from power centric rule of military dictators, who have harmed this country politically, socially and financially.
The ANP and MQM, which claim to be liberal and secular with socialist leanings, have strong ethnic credentials and no tolerance for dissent within their ranks, or for their opponents. Of late, their involvement in patronising violence further disqualifies their claims of being liberal. The PPP has, during its nearly three year of power, done little which would satisfy its claims of a socialist agenda, except stuffing already surplus state corporations with more incompetent employees, putting at stake their very sustainability as viable commercial ventures.
Similarly, the PML(N) has failed to conform to the changes that time demands from it. Their affinity with traders who refuse to pay taxes, puts at stake the very system on which free market economy thrives and survives. Our religious parties have too many scandals of links with sectarian politics, financial malpractices and their intolerance for a plural society.
The establishment, both civil and khaki, are unwilling to let go of the habits they acquired under the Colonial Raj, as exhibited by their compulsive greed for palatial housing societies and their decadence into becoming harbingers of corruption and unchecked bribery. Their disregard for rules is evident by their unwillingness to be even discrete in violating them, which is evident from misuse of government registered vehicles for private use by their families and living beyond their legitimate means of declared incomes.
The state machinery and FBR have become an abettor for tax evasion and wasting scarce resources of state, totally unbothered about the shocking tax-to-GDP ratio. They are unwilling to be seen as trying to cut down needless expenses and cutting down inflated non-development funds.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Pakistan was definitely not created for men Land Mafia Dons like Riaz Malik, or for DHAs, GORs to thrive and multiple allotment of expensive state land to its paid servants, while millions live in poverty, without education, health or clean drinking water. Change cannot be brought by even Imran Khan with the likes of Khursheed Kasuri, a staunch supporter of Musharraf , nor with crooks like Khokhar and dead wood like Azhar joining his party. Change is a must. People are sick and tired with the miseries inflicted on them by this coalition of AZ, Altaf, Afzand and Shujaat, with Mulla Diesel supporting them.
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