- And then what?
As much as attempts to rid the entire country of the last traces of corruption are appreciated, it is now clear that the prime minister’s favourite “no NRO” mantra has become his government’s standard reflex action response to all questions. And it hasn’t helped that in all the half-year that the government has claimed receiving pleas of reconciliation on part of the opposition, no senior minister has yet been able to cite one instance of an opposition member actually trying to wriggle out of the ongoing accountability process through some manner of agreement with the so called establishment.
Unfortunately, especially for those expecting a pro-people government to bring about a change, the PTI government has so far not been able to make any sort of advances. And segments where Imran’s personal honesty and incorruptibility found much traction are also, apparently, beginning to wonder. The economy, instead of improving, is much worse off because the finance minister preferred to grope in the dark instead of formulating a workable strategy. And the other area where they could have honoured some promises – legislation – is also paralysed precisely because PTI’s witch hunt has alienated the opposition, which is in no mood to play ball in the immediate term.
And every time someone asks a question about the dismal performance, the government snaps back with the same no NRO line, implying of course that the questioning is just a pressure tactic aimed at softening PTI’s position. Even talk of bureaucratic reforms, etc, is not impressing anyone anymore. What more shameful episode for the government than the Sahiwal incident where the police blatantly killed a family in the most foul manner and the PM’s promise of justice in three days continues to ring hollow? How different, really, is this situation from the PML-N days that used to upset Imran Khan so much? And, sure enough, if anybody asks the government any of this they are likely to be greeted with the same response, “no NRO.”
