Mukhtar Ahmed Butt
29 April shall be remembered a memorable day when Imran Khan held grand power show at Minar-e-Pakistan. It was well attended show and rightly party workers and people who thronged the venue of the meeting deserve pat.
A debate is going on as to the number of people and anchors are wasting time in this futile exercise. Since this public meeting was shown live on almost all the TV channels and by now 200 million people of Pakistan are very clear about the size of the crowd. Imran deserves appreciation for this grand show. How they came, from where they came, who brought them, whether they came from different cities it is immaterial, it is the number that matters. PML N is certainly disturbed and Shahbaz remarks that Lahore has rejected PTI are irrelevant.
In election of NA 120 PTI candidate begged 0ver 90000 votes. PML N should now understand that their only competitor and real competitor is Imran Khan and should not take it lightly Unlike other speeches that always targeted Sharif brothers this time it was a different strategy and he did hit the Sharif brothers but in most dignified manner.
The fact remains this grand power show has unnerved Nawaz Sharif and he immediately called meeting of PML N at Jati Umra and chalked out future strategy and directed his party leaders to accelerate people contact and ordered to launch fully fledged election campaign.
But his comment was very amusing when he said “JULSA LAHORE KA” MAJMA PESHAWAR KA” AGENDA KISI AUR KA”. It is again acknowledgement that it was big show. Likewise all political parties have started election campaign and are holding public meetings.
Instead of giving action plan all parties and are hitting each other below the belt so much so that fowl language is being used against women who attend public meetings. Beginning of campaign is not good and it is feared there will be lot of clashes of workers if party leaders fail to exercise restraint on themselves and party workers.
Imran gave his 11 point manifesto to build new Pakistan and he roared there will be just one Pakistan instead of two. His main slogan was “DO NAHI AIK PAKISTAN HUM SUB KA NIA PAKISTAN” What he meant that there are two Pakistan’s one for the poor and one for the elite. It could be a dream but most difficult to implement as witnessed over the past 70 years. A system developed systematically over 70 years cannot be changed overnight or by raising slogans. To bring change first of all, all leaders have to change themselves and that is the most difficult thing to practice. All political leaders are misusing state resources day and night, how on earth they shall bring change. If they are sincere it should be reflected during election campaign. How ridiculous it is to say that if something happens to them FIR will be lodged against IG Police why? Under which law? If someone feels his life is in danger he better not move out or hire private guard why state should provide him security?
Coming back to 11 points of Imran that includes health, education plans with uniform education system, elimination of corruption, boosting investment, generating employment
Opportunities, agriculture emergency, protecting women population, strengthening federation, justice system, police reforms and reforming tax system. Question arises what steps were taken during his 5 years rule in KPK. At least he should have given a brief on these points and steps taken towards fulfillment of these objectives. We don’t want new Pakistan, we had enough of it. Let us put right the existing Pakistan, create an atmosphere of brotherhood, and sort out differences sitting across the table.
Change old laws and bring new laws through legislation that should help poor people to get their due without any problem. Our legislators have failed to bring new laws that could redress the problems of common man. In a country where all the institutions have collapsed no single party can bring any change until and unless all political forces join together to change the existing system which only revolves around their personal interests and no one is prepared to leave it, because they consider it their birth right.
It was very disappointing to note that he failed to cover most important 5 points in his speech that shows lack of vision and sense of direction. Those 5 points are vision on foreign relations, defense, terrorism and discretion to appoint cronies fixing their salaries in millions, fixing limits of cases in the courts. The fact remains at present irrespective of judiciary being independent it has not at all helped the common man who continues to suffer in the hands of elite of the country. What is lacking in Pakistan is Rule of Law. Its selective application has destroyed the basic structure of the country and this should have been on the top of agenda of all the political parties. But the day shall never dawn as they are themselves the major culprits.
The writer is a freelance journalist and defence Analyst.