Daily Times

Since the time Imran Khan came into power and during the years he remained the prime minister, his stint was nothing more than a sheer waste of the nation’s time. Recount his government achievements during the period he was in the driving seat and there’s nothing to show. Why was the nation’s precious time wasted? Didn’t the powers that be know his mental calibre, which is no enigma and can be assessed within no time?

When IK was voted out through a vote of no confidence, which was according to the rules and laws of the constitution, he thought he had been wronged and deprived of his kingdom. He decided to launch protests against his ouster and blamed the very forces that brought him to power. With time, his protests increased in intensity and use of foul language. He began to kick in all directions until he kicked the bomb – May 9 attacks on national defence institutions. The establishment took the heinous act perpetrated by Imran Khan and his followers on his behest seriously and rightly so. Gruesome acts of this nature orchestrated by a political party hadn’t occurred in the history of the country.

When the establishment decided to try the offenders in the military courts, a new discussion evolved in the news and print media. Some favoured the setting up of military courts to try the lawbreakers while others wanted them to face the ordinary courts, including the anti-terrorist courts. Even some members of the bar opposed setting up military courts. Black coats’ resentment against forming military courts is understandable. They’ve their professional reasons that go against the celerity with which the military courts decide cases. The cases lodged in civil courts take years to decide, which suits all three parties, the black coats, the accused and the honourable who hold the balance of justice.

The political drama being played out is completely devoid of the issues related to public wellbeing

Imran Khan is not cut out to be a politician. He may be manly, handsome and a crowd-puller. Then, so are many sportsmen, the American wrestlers, for instance, known for fixed fights and fake encounters in the wrestling ring. Sometimes they even rough up the umpire whose duty is to raise his finger as to who won and who lost. Wrestlers’ walking into the arena with swagger and pomposity is worth watching. It reminds one of IK in the way he walks and talks. Surely, the American wrestlers imitate him and not otherwise. Khan is an egomaniac with unbounded arrogance. The language he uses against his political opponents doesn’t show an iota of contribution by the Oxford University he’s known to attend in the UK. The university didn’t leave any imprint on Imran’s personality.

Recall how Imran Khan waved the devious cypher in the air and denounced the US for conspiring to deprive him of power. But his following among some of the US politicians haven’t suffered. Being pro-Israel and India and against China is their common motive. To suit his overwhelming ambition to regain power, Imran would willingly play in the hands of such elements. They would use him to cause political turmoil in the country to stymie China’s multibillion dollars project – CPEC – passing through Pakistan to its deep-sea port, Gawadar. The US regional policy opposes the CPEC we consider the nation’s lifeline and a golden opportunity for Pakistan’s economy.

It’s disappointing to watch talk shows on the TV or read in the newspapers that the political drama being played out is completely devoid of the issues related to public well-being. The lower strata of society suffer the most. The poor among the labour class try hard to leave the country for greener pastures, hence the typical boat people either getting caught on reaching their destinations or losing their lives when the boats capsized in high waters. The young educated men in society are leaving the country in droves for better job opportunities in the West.

According to official figures, 225,000 Pakistanis left the country in 2021 but this figure tripled to 765,000 in 2022, which includes 92,000 highly educated among them such as doctors, engineers and IT experts. Shouldn’t the exodus of talented citizens worry the politicians wrangling among themselves to secure their political future? Shouldn’t the government cut to size the top-heavy bureaucracy, and reduce its perks and privileges to lighten the financial burden on the nation begging for foreign loans?

The writer is a Lahore-based columnist and can be reached at pinecity @gmail.com