Ready for change

Everyone’s a stakeholder

The setting of the sun just after the winter solstice has a numbing hue unlike the brilliance of the summer. As yet another year shuts its front door the wonders and, of course, fears of the future preoccupy our thoughts. But only momentarily. The pros and cons of the immediate past continue to cast shadows in the fading light.

Pakistan’s achievements during the current year have been more notorious than prestigious. Aided by the mega high-profile discovery of OBL. The majority of the world took pleasure at our plight, having branded us as a nation of terrorists for time immemorial or so it would seem. Engulfed by embarrassment the government in its various forms attempted nonsensical defence.

American pressure increased, as did the activity of NATO forces on and within the Pakistan border. Simultaneously, resentment within Pakistan increased too. The love affair teetered; continues to totter. A sudden upsurge of political dissent and activity ensued. Demonstrations, marches, investigations, accusations, legal references have overwhelmed the country since then. Things are at a complete halt. Change is on the anvil. If one is to believe the electronic media!

In this backdrop comes the “tsunami”. The word has a terribly negative connotation and gives immediate rise to intense public fear, especially in a coastal city. It wasn’t long that Asia was terrorised by one leaving millions in disarray. A vast number continue to suffer. It’s a phrase that can only be used at a close to completely illiterate and emotion-filled population. Despite the author’s feeble attempts at adding nuance to the term, it to embrace the ‘figurative’ definition stated in the Oxford Dictionary it is undeniably a negative noun.

For one, natural tsunamis are not and can never be willed by humans. Figurative ones? Well, dramatic maybe but lacking substance. For me it’s a negative, so let’s put it aside. We need to sense and see the positive.

Yes, there is no doubt in my mind that Pakistan is ready for change. What the politicians could not do for the country over six decades, evolution has. The awakening of the media and civil society has rearranged the goalposts. The movement causing Musharraf’s ouster and subsequently compelling restoration of the chief justice by his unwilling successors laid the foundations for change. But change is a slow, and at times reluctant, phenomenon. It invokes infinite patience.

A review of the three preceding years reveals precious little had been learned in terms of governance. And definitely nothing in the conduct of national politics. Everything was a repeat of the past. Except for one distinctive aspect. Not a single act of political vengeance can be attributed to President Zardari during this period. In fact not even defamatory, personal verbal attacks on his opponents; despite enormous provocation and personal attacks. Surprisingly, his response has always been conciliatory.

But it has to go beyond the smile. Perhaps the fact that Pakistan is in transition, perhaps that nature has been unkind, perhaps the rotting of a multitude of long festering negatives, has denied the delivery sought by the nation. Whatever the reasons, there is serious discontentment. Be that as it may, emotional outbursts, rhetoric and a magazine full of spent bullets on a single platform will not solve the problems.

Politicians and all stakeholders in government and the military will need to change. The people have changed. It will no longer be that easy to do things as in the past. Today’s fog of accountability will change into thunderclouds and hang persistently over the heads of those who don’t play fair and clean. There are some who will argue this. They will ask tauntingly, “what happened to the media when Musharraf shut it down on that fateful November 3?” Ok that happened then, it can again today, but not with the same ease.

The place for change is at the top. A new social contract needs to be signed. This time, the population will be a stakeholder, alongside the political, military and bureaucratic leadership. Those in or aspiring to office must think along these lines. Open closed, suspicious minds and share everything, the good and the bad, with the people.

Bad habits die hard. Sadly those who have governed this country have acquired every possible one, making them endemic. The majority of people I meet believe that Imran would have done well to allow a new leadership to help him sweep the polls rather than open the door to extinguished geriatrics.

Let’s for a moment accept the PTI version of acquiring ‘electable’ candidates. That works only if elections are held within months. Since it’s the constitutional prerogative of the government of the day, let us assume elections are held on schedule, in thirteen months. Imran may discover a year of hard campaigning has yielded a number of bright sparks. What then? Will he dump this liability he has incurred around his neck like a noose? It will be a nightmare.

In fact, all need to be wary. The promises made today will need to be kept. The people will not forgive broken promises. It will only delay the inevitable. Whatever that may be.

The writer may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]