- PTI’s 100 day programme
In his first 100 day programme Imran Khan virtually promised everything to everyone: an expeditious merger of FATA with KP, a new province in South Punjab, reconciliation with the estranged Baloch youth, generation of 10 million jobs, overhauling of the agricultural sector, development package for Karachi, transforming governance standards and poverty alleviation.
None of these promises has been fulfilled. To be fair to PTI, it is simply impossible to give a material shape to these commitments in a hundred days. What remains disconcerting however are some of the dangerous tendencies in the party leadership revealed during the period which could foil its plans.
The party leadership has a morbid fear of the mob. Imran Khan warned the TLP protesters not to confront the state but then looked the other way as they played havoc all over Punjab. Their leaders have been taken into protective custody and lodged in rest houses now without any cases filed against them. Dr Atif Mian was appointed and then asked to step down from Economic advisory Council for fear of the mob. No leadership can deliver if it is seen to be week-kneed.
Imran Khan has a hunch for quick fixes. He had gone to China to learn how to alleviate poverty, then decided to follow the tradition of his predecessors by seeking a World Bank loan for the purpose. The tendency has led Imran Khan to eat crow. He is now willing to take loans from any country as well as from IMF.
Imran Khan has proved himself untrustworthy. He made a ‘commitment’ to go for a professional civil service, rather than a group of loyalists. A number of bureaucrats in Punjab have been transferred within the last few weeks several times to placate cronies.
Khan lacks the flexibility that is needed to run the Parliamentary system. Since there is no give and take with the opposition, there are neither parliamentary committees to prepare law bills nor support from the Senate to pass laws. The media is under siege as never before.
By the time Khan decides to take another U-turn to make up with the opposition and help release pressure on media, a lot of irretrievable damage would have been done.