Jabber, jabber, jabber

The verbal wars of the front men of Pakistani politics

While the nation was busy burying its young that were our future the front men of PTI and PML-N reverted to their Noora Khushti. They are so addicted to these verbal punches that they could not wait for the nation to finish the burial and install the tomb stone’s which should have read I am the victim of the callousness of our politicians.
It is a fact that there are front men that reap commissions and share it with their politician friends. If this was not the case wealth of politicians would not rise when they were in office. Go to any constituency and ask people who is the front man of the local politician and they will tell you their names. These front men sell jobs, help resolve long-standing cases, help release pending payments from government departments, arrange meeting with the politician and also help in providing inside information about upcoming contracts. All these services are offered for a fee. To give an example, a job or transfer can be achieved for a price tag of 500,000 to 750,000 depending on the pay scale and influence. The release of payment to the  tune of Rs. 1000,000 can cost up to Rs. 100,000. A contract for road construction using development funds allocated to a MNA can cost fee of 10 to 15%. For a higher fee, substandard road or even no road can be constructed while full payment of the contract is being made. If you all think I am joking, I offer you to join me for a trip to rural districts where plenty of such unfinished projects are available as evidence. Politicians never receive any payments themselves so it is hard to prove they are guilty of any corruption or abuse of office. But the dilapidated condition of the country is evidence we are ruled by corrupt politicians.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan has a long history of relying on half truths to lay allegations against his opponents and never fulfilling his promise of taking concrete actions to punish corruption. As a celebrity, he lives for the moment and has no sense of past or future. As a fast bowler, he plans each new ball to intimidate his opponents which have no link or connection with the previous ball he bowled. Here is a short list of some of his promises:

• He promised to take action against MQM Chief Altaf Hussain. He even supposedly went to England to file a case. But nothing came of it.
• He stated that systematic rigging is done in last elections and demanded Judicial Commission (JC) promising that truckload of evidence is available to prove it. He repeatedly claimed that it was an open and shut case. But when JC held its investigation the lawyers of PTI, hired by his close friend Jahangir Tareen, did not even make efforts to try to provide evidence of systematic rigging. This fact was mentioned in the report of JC. The total focus of PTI in JC hearing was on constituency level rigging and irregularities.
• He repeatedly claimed that pentis (35) punctures were delivered by the then interim chief minister of Punjab Najam Sethi. Again he and some of the TV channels presented it as an open and shut case because they have heard the audio tape. Nothing came of it rather eventually Imran khan had to accept it was just a political statement
• Panama Papers leaks provided another opportunity for Imran Khan to start claiming that he will not rest until corruption is punished. So far nothing has come of it and it is highly unlikely anything will come of it.
• Now the latest allegations are that front man of PML-N reaped billions in commissions and transferred it to the Sharifs.

Imran Khan does exhibit similar behaviour inside the party also and never delivered on his promises. Here is a short list of those promises:

• He claimed to be a Democrat and promised that party members are the only ones to elect party officials. First, intra-party was a disaster and second was abandoned even before it took off. He is now appointing his friends and investors on party positions in complete violation of party constitution.
• He installed an Election Tribunal (ET) in the party headed by Justice Wajihuddin. The tribunal issued a verdict against friends and investors of IK. Instead of punishing those that committed irregularities Imran Khan punished the Election Tribunal and suspended the basic membership of Justice Wajih who eventually left the party.
• Imran Khan very excitedly announced promulgation of KP Ehtisab Commission and installed a capable person as Director General. One day that DG Ehtisab briefed him on the progress being made and enthusiastically informed that soon cases against CM KP will be opened. As soon as DG Ehtisab left the meeting, Imran Khan called his old Aitchison friend CM KP who was successfully able to get rid of DG Ehtisab as well as introduce amendments to Ehtisab act to prevent any future activism by an energetic DG.
• Imran Khan repeatedly promised he will uphold merit and capability in awarding tickets and party positions. He never delivered on any of these promises and is now circled by status quo politicians from PML-Q and PPP.

When I look at these facts then it becomes difficult for me to find faith in Imran Khan’s rhetoric that he is serious about punishing corruption. The corruption and abuse of system do exist in Pakistan but I am doubtful if Imran Khan has the knowledge and capability to pursue the reform agenda. At the end of 2013 general elections we suggested to Imran Khan to pursue following roadmap:

• Deliver good governance in KP. There is some improvement but far short of expectations.
• Deliver good opposition in parliament, sub-committees, and other constitutional forums.
• Strengthen civic activism so that they can raise their collective voice by working with labor, small farmers, bar associations and trade associations.
• Focus on electoral reforms so that there is gradual improvement in the system
• Build party tanzeem to better compete in next elections with an especial focus on training leaders and party activists.

But friends and investors of Imran Khan that have formed a ring around him took him on a different path of agitation politics. I have never believed any superman can change Pakistan. So if Imran Khan was capable even then he would need a good team. The greatest failure of Imran Khan, just like Jamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, was to be loved by the nation but unable to deliver institutional change and development of a team that can lead for a long time because it takes two to three decades to transform a nation. Deng Xiaoping personally selected team of leaders in 1979 to transform China. That team is still leading China and converting it into a superpower.

I have no hope from PML-N and PPP to deliver to the nation. These parties find it hard to relinquish family interests for the larger interest of the nation. Recent sham party elections of PML-N were a confirmation of that fact while Asif Ali Zardari shifted the party mantle to his son. I do see potential in cadres of PTI that can deliver if they are able to convert the party into a vibrant platform and institutionalise its decision-making process. Unfortunately, the greatest hurdle in this objective is Imran Khan himself.