Having faced with leadership crisis, Pakistan is facing multitude of problems on socio-economic and political fronts. All indicators suggest that the way things are moving; there is no sign that there will be recession in the agonies of people in near future. The issues of governance, corruption, inflation, unemployment, extremism and terrorism are getting acute day by day. All these problems are invariably attributed to political leadership which is more of selfish and self-centered, lacking political; commitment and capacity to handle and manage the process of democratization, development and deterrence against the outlaws who have totally hold the nation hostage to their diabolical designs.
On the one hand political leadership is inefficient, corrupt, petty-minded, and manipulative and has lost all shreds of credibility and on the other hand it is involved in the pettifogging and mudslinging against each other, providing an opportunity to platonic guardians to derail the process of democratization in the country.
The growth and development of the democratization is very much dependent on the acumen of political leadership and how it is managed. We saw the eras of Benazir and Nawaz Sharif in nineties. The country suffered a lot and so many economists called this “lost decade of development”. We saw the regime of General Musharraf but his regime was virtually toppled down as a result of “Black Coat Movement” led by lawyers. We saw the new dawn of democracy as a result of Oct 18 election. New democratic government was inducted into the corridors of power, with the hope that it would deliver in terms of resolving the basic issues of common man on the street. But it has dismally failed and all the fingers are pointed out at Asif Ali Zardari, who has forgot to tackle the core issue of governance, corruption and institutional building. In the name of reconciliation, principles are being compromised on the anvil of power and perks.
Being stuck in such muddy situation, what is the way out as nation has tried all the political parties and political leaders ranging from Nawaz Sharif to Asif Ali Zardari. All have failed to provide people justice, law and order, security, jobs, electricity, sanitation, housing and etc.
Nowadays the name of Imran Khan is hitting the headlines as savior of the nation after political leadership from all parties has failed to deliver. He is being widely supported by the elite of the society, especially youth, who is growingly feeling frustrated with the current mainstream political leadership.
No doubt Imran Khan, who was sarcastically called “Inqlab Khan” by the leader of opposition in national assembly Chaudhery Nisar Ali Khan, is national hero and icon. Even those who opposed to him admit that he was a great cricketer and is compassionate philanthropist. It is however his politics and his personal behavior towards others around him that has led to sever criticism.
Imran Khan is dubbed as egoist by his critics. According to George Fulton, Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) are interchangeable. Without the former there is no latter. Since the formation of party, he has failed to make the party anything other than a party for his political aspirations and dreams to be the next prime minster of Pakistan. He has centralized the decision making in the party where young party cadres have less say in the matter of party to discuss and debate the issues related to party matters.
Honestly speaking, he needs to be more optimistic, instead of playing with the emotions of the young bloods and provoking the hatred and the violence against the parliamentarians, he must come out and spell out his own competitive vision, which must be based on the realistic approach and the ground conditions, not based on the abusing the opponents.
Critics also blame him that he is victim of political idealism which has no place in the world where pragmatism is produces more positive results. For example, he talks about the cutting of foreign aid, cutting public expenditure, taxing the rich and fighting corruption. Undoubtedly, these are the noble things to be done but how he can cut the foreign aid of almost 20 billion overnight. It can be economically calamitous for the economy which is already on the verge of bankruptcy – foreing debt is almost $57 billion and internal loan is around Rs13 trillions. His views about increasing tax-to-GDP ratio from 9 percent to 18 percent are good but how his party would achieve the goals of fighting corruption and taxing the rich without the money to invest in the necessary economic and social infrastructure?
On the matters related to foreign policy, he shows same inexperience and naivety. He has launched campaign against Pakistan’s participation on war on terror and advocates the withdrawal form the war and supports negotiations with Taliban when the fact is that Pakistan has so far lost 35000 lives of innocent people most of them killed in suicide bombing carried out by Taliban. I think and I am of the firm view that abrupt withdrawal of Pakistan from war on terror will create more problems for Pakistan than it offers any solution. Further, if Pakistan withdraws from war on terror, it will face isolation in international community as war on terror has been sanctified by the UN. In case of Pakistan’s Isolation in global community, there will be more pains and pangs for Islamabad.
Further, his party manifesto fails to talk about Pakistan’s homegrown problem with terrorism and ethnic and sectarian violence that is plaguing the country. His party does not offer any solution to any of these problems. In addition to that, he needs to clear policies with reference to women rights, as in recent past, in the democratic government of PPP a woman was beaten and abused for wearing sleeveless, if this is the case then what would be the prospect of progressive women in Khan sahab’s lead government?
No wonder people of Pakistan need’s new direction a new hope which can cure their sufferings, and Imran Khan has great opportunity here, people of Pakistan no longer trust ruling elite class who gets all the good chunk of food and mere crumbs are being shared with masses. The ruling elite class is sucking the blood of poor class and the difference of class shall continue unless somebody comes out and challenge and change the system. If he needs to emerge as a national leader then he must have to make few changes and crystallize his strategy on vital national issues.
Sadly when we look at his party manifesto and the way he speaks in media and people in public places, Imran Khan doesn’t have any clear roadmap to go about to steer the country out of deep and troubled waters. He is no doubt courageous, decent and good man and can be first rate prime minster if elected, but time may tell that leading a country is more difficult than leading a cricket team or running philanthropy.
The writer is MBA from SZABIST, Karachi, has worked for leading Ad Agency and also writes for various newspapers.
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