The PM’s remarks

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  • Divorced from reality?

Nobody can argue with the merits of a comprehensive poverty alleviation program, especially if the Chinese model can be duplicated and millions of people’s lives can be impacted for the better in Pakistan. And the shelter home is a pleasant novelty. Anything that helps the many, many poor of our land is welcome. But much of what the prime minister said at the inauguration the other day displayed more than a slight divorce from reality. Like the sermon about the government standing by all Supreme Court rulings. “I want to make it clear that the government stands with the decisions of the Supreme Court and there will be no compromise on it,” he thundered.

But how good did he look making those claims considering how recently the government simply capitulated in face of the TLP lockdown? Wasn’t it exactly the Supreme Court’s ruling that the mob had rejected before turning violent? And wasn’t it the government’s responsibility to enforce the Court’s ruling? Instead they just buckled under pressure and made a deal with the protestors. To follow such actions with the kind of tough talk Imran Khan is so fond of is likely to find fewer backers with time if the trend is not checked.

Then there’s the economy. Apparently, the prime minister believes that the economic crisis has been defused so now the government can turn its attention towards uplift of the poor. Only that it has not. We got a few billions from Saudi Arabia, but only on the condition that we don’t spend them. And nobody yet knows what became of a similar bailout from China. Plus there’s still no final verdict about a possible program with IMF, and just what manner of austerity it will bring. As things stand, unless the government knows something the rest of the world does not, Pakistan is not in a position to make its outstanding payments and continue like nothing happened – not, at least, without significant more backing. Such comments, which do not reflect on-ground reality, do wide-ranging damage when they come from senior government officials, especially the head of state. Not only do they sour voter sentiment, but also send all the wrong signals to foreign investors we’re so desperately trying to lure.