The short history of our nation is riddled with lost opportunities
It took a horrific act of savagery, which killed 143 children and seven staff members of the Peshawar Army Public School, for our nation to wake up. In a rare exhibition of unanimity our leaders of diversified interests were left with no choice but to stand behind the army to condemn the attackers. Even those who had endeared the Taliban and still share their ideology made an about-turn under pressure of the overwhelming public outrage to the atrocity. The public wanted no more respite for the criminals.
Since the fateful day of December 16, the determined army chief has been frantically revitalising the chain in the fight to curb the menace. He has visited the world capitals that matter to seek intelligence sharing at the highest level and cooperation for drying up the funding and supplies to the terrorists. In a paradigm shift from the General Kayani days, General Raheel Sharif made it known that he would spare no one indulging in terrorism inside Pakistan. The armed forces accelerated the ground and air offensives with improved coordination and target identification to hit terrorist sanctuaries in the tribal areas even harder.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif immediately dashed to Peshawar to express solidarity with the victims. He rallied all political parties together with the army high command in an 11 hour long All Parties Conference to declare total war against the TTP, its support groups and all others involved in terrorist activities, without any distinction. He burnt the midnight oil, sitting with his lieutenants in meetings and forming committees. The hectic consultations have yielded an ambitious 20 point National Action Plan that includes pursuing the sectarian and terrorist groups and black-listing them, establishment of fast track military headed trial courts, creating a new anti terrorism force and regulating the madrassas.
Regrettably, the spirit of national unity and determination already appears to be thinning. Various diversions are already in the works to put road blocks in the quick implementation of the proposed steps
Regrettably, the spirit of national unity and determination already appears to be thinning. Various diversions are already in the works to put road blocks in the quick implementation of the proposed steps. The establishment of speedy courts has been challenged in the higher courts and religious organisations are preparing to offer resistance to encroachment on their vast networks and finances that they fiercely guard and keep secret. The funds needed to put together an effective counter-terrorism organisation and the cooperation it would need from other arms may also not be easily forthcoming.
This is the second time during its current tenure that the PML-N has succeeded in securing a political consensus. The first consensus was achieved in a joint session of parliament while the parliament house was under siege by the many thousands of charged PTI and PAT demonstrators gathered at the D-chowk, demanding resignation of the prime minister. The parliamentarians and a harmony with the army managed to save the PML-N government inside the assembly. However, it was providence that saved the government when Imran Khan unilaterally called off the PTI sit-in and countrywide agitations in deference to the Peshawar tragedy. The government has, however, shown no signs of ensuring such situations are prevented or to have capitalised on the reprieve.
The short history of our nation is riddled with lost opportunities. Our political (and accidental) leaders tend to lose their way as the considerations of their individual well being and personal survival take precedence over principles, ideology and larger national interests. It is the third time that the people of Pakistan have voted the PML-N in power and Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister. What an accomplishment! Yet, despite his long struggles and political experience, the prime minister appears reluctant to exercise his authority and to provide the leadership that our people need so desperately.
The pyramid of the management structure appears to be highly corroded and the solitary figure at the top unable to cope with the decay and complexities below him. The various arms of the government are behaving as independent parallel fiefdoms answerable to no one. The prime minister has exhibited timidity in shedding his old baggage, injecting new blood, strengthening and modernising the antiquated civil administration, resulting in a gradual deterioration of his control over national affairs. His eagerness to rule by consensus has also translated into complete inaction. The major policy formulation has thus gradually been surrendered to the only institution in the country that is authoritative and still organised, disciplined and functional – the army.
People expected the prime minister to announce, within ninety days of taking over, major reforms in judiciary, bureaucracy, police, agricultural land holdings, taxation and revenue generation
Adding fuel to fire, Imran Khan and his team have ruthlessly targeted the prime minister, all state institutions and most major politicians with the objective of bringing down the government. His main focus has been the province of the PML-N governed Punjab, where the government had practically been incapacitated and considerably weakened during the last six months of his street agitation. The PML-N has been unable to present an effective counter-narrative to this onslaught, as it failed to provide relief to the common people.
The dysfunction of all government departments is compounded by the reoccurrence of one crisis after another – be it the energy, petrol and commodity shortages, law and order breakdown or intelligence failures to prevent terrorist attacks. News media has contributed its share in aggravating the despondency among the people by an overdose of non-stop negative politics. Highlighting the few achievements perhaps do not promote their ratings.
People expected the prime minister to announce, within ninety days of taking over, major reforms in judiciary, bureaucracy, police, agricultural land holdings, taxation and revenue generation. He was expected to curb financial corruption in state institutions, introduce industry and commerce friendly policies to create job opportunities, boost exports and domestic consumption – all of which are the forte of the prime minister’s business background. He was expected to unveil realistic plans to overcome energy shortages, come clean with his electorate with the problems confronting him and beg their cooperation and understanding. Instead of making things happen and moving forward, all he has been doing is react to events.
Unfortunately, the nation remains fragmented and directionless. Even the state of war and atrocious attacks on state institutions, innocent people and their families have not united the people and the political forces of our country. No country can progress unless the people equally share the burden of the state. The fine speeches and words of wisdom that we have become so immune to must translate into actions. We must walk the talk. As President John F Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for the country’.
