Daily Times

Expectation has always played a great role in the political landscape of Pakistan. The hope for a better livelihood and future has led people to believe, that the person running the government will put in the desired effort to bring us out of the economic and social misery. PML-N, PPPP, the leading two political parties have been tried and tested but PTI is given the benefit of doubt by the public at large. The nation believes that the promises made by PM Imran Khan will be fulfilled. This strength should be converted into an opportunity to deliver on all the promises made to the nation. If PTI cannot deliver, the threat it faces will be grave as public disappointment may lead to its failure in the next general elections.

The most played card by PTI is that they have no charges of financial corruption against PM Imran Khan. The question remains will this be the same by the end of his government? Any decision made in the tenure of Imran Khan can put him in hot waters for financial favor and/or embezzlement for favouring those who helped PTI financially.

In the list of promises by PTI, the commitment to South Punjab needs to be fulfilled. Those parliamentarians who joined the sailing ship of PTI in anticipation of the Province might change their loyalties again, making PTI weaker. If this strength faces a retreat or a vocal U-turn, the opportunity will be missed and threats to the government shall increase. A silent, yet confused Buzdar, who belongs to the Southern Punjab region has already faced criticism for his incompetence and he hasn’t been able to face the public as expected from the Chief Minister of Punjab. We haven’t seen a single visionary statement from him, which makes him hard to be relied upon. Generally, ministers of PTI both at federal and provincial level are inexperienced. Having said this puts the question that is the finance minister, Mr. Asad Umar delivering? This fundamental question has arisen, as business circles of small and medium industry are not witness to economic stability.

For now, the ministers speak, reflecting their insecurities, because they know that their political alliances with PML-Q and MQM are fragile and PTI alone cannot be in government as they do not have the desired numbers for being a ‘simple majority single political party’ in Parliament. This grave insecurity is their biggest weakness

The federal and provincial ministers of PTI, if questioned by the journalists, first react crudely and then keep on apologizing. After all PTI’s biggest strength is making a U-turn or retreating politically. We want them to be mature enough to think before they speak. We want them to be competent for their respectable ministries and work for the wellbeing of Pakistan. For now, the ministers speak, reflecting their insecurities, because they know that their political alliances with PML-Q and MQM are fragile and PTI alone cannot be in government as they do not have the desired numbers for being a ‘simple majority single political party’ in Parliament. This grave insecurity is their biggest weakness, which is also an existential threat to the government. If this weak team wants to survive this political upheaval, then they should transform this weakness into an opportunity provided by the people of Pakistan to work on education, economics, women empowerment, alleviation of poverty and most importantly exemplary governance. This team should set the benchmark of political ethics and morals that should impress the public at large. The resignation of Babar Awan and the somewhat tacit coerced resignation of Azam Swati are commendable. Maintaining a high moral ground should not be difficult for PTI, as they have cordial relationships with all major state institutions. Good relations with the state institutions should be utilised for the benefit of Pakistan, not for political suppression but for the betterment of the political arena as well.

The relationship of PTI with the state institutions should help them draw a refined foreign policy. A policy where the interests of state should also be aligned with the policy of an independent political thought process of an elected government. The international relations based political thought process of PTI is missing. We can only see PM Khan’s reply to PM Modi or President Trump on twitter. If this is PTI’s international policy thought process, then it is not helping to bridge the gap we face internationally. Countries like Saudi Arabia, China, and UAE, have helped us financially but it should be remembered that they assisted all regimes in Pakistan historically. This is not a victory for the foreign office or its policies.

Parliament should be given the importance, which the house deserves. PM Imran Khan’s major strength is that he said he would face the parliament like the PM of UK does in the House of Commons. However, they have been unable to make rules in the parliament in the four months they have been in power. The biggest strength of Imran Khan became a lost opportunity and has weakened him, because he feels threatened to face the opposition in the Parliament. The opposition should bell the cat. They should enforce what the PM promised about his question sessions. The opposition is not interested in such rules, because if they sow so shall they reap.

One cannot discuss all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to PTI as the list is long but in a nutshell, PTI needs to work on their strengths and deliver as they have an opportunity and they need to fix their weaknesses to mitigate the threats they face in the political landscape of Pakistan.

The writer is a barrister

Published in Daily Times, January 16^th 2019.