The future of PTI’s agitation

And what are PML-N’s priorities?

Considering the ongoing sit-in in Islamabad insufficient for the removal of Nawaz Sharif, the PTI has announced public meetings in all important cities of the country. After holding a large gathering in Karachi Imran Khan has decided to shift his attention to Punjab which on account of its population has a unique importance in electoral politics. Imran Khan fighting on front foot can no doubt gather large crowds wherever he goes, capitalising as he does on the unending sufferings of the common people. With army unwilling to intervene and practically the entire Parliament backing the government, there is little possibility of the prime minister obliging Imran Khan by stepping down.

Some politicians learn from their past, others from history. Imran Khan however doesn’t have much political past to learn from. His sense of history is confined to his cricketing career. Holding mega public meetings is going to be a big budget exercise. Hopefully by the time the PTI has completed the round of half a dozen largest cities, Khan would be wiser.

There is a need on the part of the government to pay attention to the increasing reservoir of public grievances which are liable to be exploited by any demagogue to create a national crisis. Pakistan’s 146^th position amongst the 187 countries in Human Rights Index has to be improved. With more than 160 cases of polio thus far this season, Pakistan remains one of the three countries lowest in world ranking alongside Afghanistan and Nigeria. Pakistan’s performance in education remains abysmal. A report this year by the Brussels based International Crisis Group says: “The rot can still be stemmed by reversing decades of neglect of the fast failing, under-funded education sector and opting for meaningful reform of the curriculum, bureaucracy, teaching staff and learning methodologies.” There is a dire need for legislation to provide cheap and timely justice. The humiliating and torturous Thana culture has to end. These are however issues that the PML-N government seems to be least bothered about.