Daily Times

The PTI government is completing its 100 days of being in power. As it has been stated elsewhere as well, hundred days is really an insignificant timescale to assess the performance of a government that has been elected for five years. However, since the PTI itself made promises regarding its 100 days performance, it might be worthwhile to have a look at it. However, this article does not offer a 100 days report card of PTI’s performance. It just points to a few trends.

The PTI government’s record at best has been a mixed one. However, if there is something that stands out, it is sorts of non-serious attitude of PTI government towards most things. President Trump acted as a star in a reality TV show called “The Apprentice”. It has been said that he seems to run his government in the US as if it is a reality TV show. One gets sorts of similar feel the way celebrity Imran Khan’s government is conducting itself after coming to power in Pakistan. As social media criticism has pointed out, “rhetoric” and “stunts” seem to be the strategy through which PTI government is trying to present itself to its electorate. It seems to display a non-serious attitude to say the least.

Take for example, PM Imran Khan’s comment on him changing his mind too often that has been labelled as taking U-turns by his opponents. PM Khan reportedly equated this attribute of a leadership quality. Imran Khan made a great start in his acceptance speech after the 25th July elections where he prioritized human development as part of his agenda, amongst some other noble things. However, his government seems focused on going after the main political parties in a manner that reflects seemingly a witch-hunt.

We all support a fair process of accountability of all institutions and individuals who have been and are in power. However, to only hold the politicians accountable and exclude the army and judiciary from the accountability process is in itself a manifestation of lopsided process. Even while, the politicians are being subjected to the accountability process, it borders victimization rather than a fair process. Leaked NAB case details in media trials while the matter is sub-judice points more to some sorts of victimization rather than fairness.

On the economy, the PTI government is trying to handle the debt crisis that it has inherited from the past. It secured some financial resources to buy time to negotiate a deal with the IMF. However, again a degree of non-seriousness is at display. PTI has opposed getting assistance from the IMF in the past. Then, it changed its mind given the ground realities of our economic crisis. It seems it plays more to the galleries with its soundbites rather than appearing serious in its intent and purpose. We still need to assess how the PTI government’s delivers on the economic front. These are early days where there is more talk than progress.

On human rights issues, the Minister of Human Rights has made courageous and bold statements on the plight of the missing persons that is laudable. However, again, they only remain statements for the sake of record so far and have not been matched with any concrete results. Similarly, there have been no steps taken to restore peace and normalcy in Balochistan.

As social media criticism has pointed out, ‘rhetoric’ and ‘stunts’ seem to be the strategy through which PTI government is trying to present itself to its electorate. It seems to display a non-serious attitude to say the least

A section of the press has also reported that PTI government did not deliver at all on the law-making front, other than getting the supplementary budget approved from the Parliament. It has long past the deadline of the formation of parliamentary committees, where the bulk of legislative work is done. The deadlock is over the PTI government’s refusal to give the chairpersonship of the prestigious Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif by violating the set precedent. It again shows a non-serious attitude and one that reflects intolerance towards the parliamentary traditions. It also reflects lack of ability to accommodate the opposition’s concerns and need for the opposition to play an effective watchdog role.

Although, the PTI government promised meritocracy and policy of non-interference in the functioning of bureaucracy. However, its revealed behaviour in shuffling the bureaucracy around points to the fact that it might just as well, like the previous governments, prefer loyalty over merit when it comes to the functioning of bureaucracy.

Among the PTI government’s positive achievements, Naya Pakistan Housing Programme is a tremendous initiative for the marginalized majority of Pakistan’s population. The government intends to build five million low-cost homes. Even if it were able to deliver on a part of this promise, it would be a really worthwhile step for the welfare of people. The private sector mostly caters to the needs to rich and middle class Pakistanis in sprawling metropolises. To re-orient the private sector to deliver for low-cost housing that can benefit the majority of people in this country is much needed. However, it would be important that the PTI government shows seriousness and delivers in a well-planned and thoughtful manner on this plan. It needs to avoid the pitfalls of earlier such government-sponsored housing projects in Pakistan.

Another welcome initiative of PTI government has been to make progress with India on opening another border Kartarpur crossing. It was Pakistan’s government that took the initiative and India seems to be waking up to it. If it matures, it will definitely provide space for more people to people dialogue. When nothing else seems to improve the relations between two neighbours right now, people to people dialogue between India and Pakistan may just provide an impetuous in moving beyond hostility.

Overall, PTI government’s record has been mixed at best. For it to deliver to the people of Pakistan in the next few years, it needs to display seriousness of its intent and performance. It needs to stop living for soundbites as if some celebrity is part of a reality TV show and deliver on its promises rather than hailing frequent U-turns as a hallmark of great leadership qualities.

The writer has a social science background and can be reached on twitter @FoqiaKhan

Published in Daily Times, November 26^th 2018.