Daily Times

The harbingers of Naya Pakistan have time and again repeated that the previous governments are responsible for the current economic and political dilemma facing the country and thus, have asserted the claim vehemently that the incumbent government is innocent and is not the one to be blamed at all.

Few weeks ago, the Prime Minister Imran Khan in an address made quite a startling statement that Pakistan was presently facing the “most difficult period of its history.” He said that his government was unaware of how bad the economic situation of the country was until they came into power.

Over the years we have seen this kind of statement made by every government after its formation that actually the previous government left the country in absolute mess. The pichli-government reiteration is well entrenched in the expediency of our political culture after making tall claims and showing green gardens to the collective yearnings and hopes of people.

The cycle starts with the government’s whimpers of inheriting tattered economic and political conditions and blaming the previous government for everything. The second stage is where the government representatives accuse the opposition parties for encumbering their path and not letting them concentrate and work. And the third-the final one is where the government at the end unabashedly says that its performance is better than the previous ones.

In the current situation, the PTI seems to be following the same cycle even more wholeheartedly.

As opposed to the demure structure of change that the PTI built its entire narrative around, we see how the old bricks and walls have been tightly embraced by them where the traditional pragmatism has replaced populism and the game of power has trampled upon the fervent idealism.

PTI’s one dimensional approach, unwillingness to come out of an opposition mode and reliance on optics to solely serve the purpose of sycophancy for the sake of public perception is making the political landscape satirical and at the same time more and more serious.

As opposed to all the vows and promises, the situation of Naya Pakistan is such that the government borrowing is rising at a faster pace, the inflation and interest rates are increasing more than ever before and despite the “austerity” rhetoric of the tabdeeli cabinet, the government expenditures are even soaring higher than ever.

Considering the part where the PTI and the PM talk about the PTI’s unawareness of the abysmal crises in speeches, it sounds absurd on the one level as economic woes, circular debt, fiscal deficit and institutional crises were not concealed from anyone. The information, figures and statistics were there in front of the public. In fact, the last year when the PTI unveiled its 100 days agenda, it mentioned all these predicaments of financial and fiscal problems and other issues in its plan.

Hence, this claim is not a solid justification.  Even if it is believed for a moment, the government should have at least come up with proposal reforms by now. On the contrary, there seems to be no clear directions yet.

When the PTI formed its government in KPK in 2013, Imran Khan and his party often stated on many occasions even then that thankfully they got the government on provincial level and not at the center as they were even unaware by then of how a province runs.

However, it cannot be forgotten that it was the PM Imran Khan himself who, in his confrontational days in opposition, used to constantly talk about the deplorable state of the country in every aspect and that it was only him and his party who had the intent, plan and strategy to push forward reform and change in a matter of few months. The PTI’s entire rhetoric was centered on the national plight. And now we hear the familiar song being sung of unawareness.

Moreover, the PTI and the PM have often described the present situation to be the most difficult phase. One cannot agree with this even because regardless of the difficulties Imran Khan is certainly very fortunate in many ways to have stepped into the shoes of premiership at a time when the wave of terrorism has been controlled to a great extent, when Karachi and Northern areas of the country are comparatively in a peaceful state and when there is consistency in the democratic process as the two governments completed their terms just before Khan’s ascension.

Looking at the current state of the country by large, it is rather fair to say that Imran Khan is in a relatively better place than the previous governments. Even considering the economy and other areas, there is a great capacity for the government to deliver and perform if only it intends to.

The PPP and PML-N frequently said that certain institutions caused various hindrances during their respective tenures. Nevertheless, the PTI does not seem to have that problem either. The PTI’s government enjoys the full support from all institutions with even Imran Khan saying that all institutions are on one-page.

Thus such statements as does the performance of the government reeks of an unbelievable level of inefficiency and incompetence.

It can be seen that the current government like the ones before, if not aware of the issues, is absolutely aware of the fact that our people forget easily. The people forget the big promises and big talks or probably become indifferent and ignorant as they have no other option.

In Naya Pakistan, mere rhetoric and optics have replaced policy-making and legislation, mirth is expressed over U-turns as being the signs of leadership qualities, the loans that were once cursed have turned into packages and gifts and the speeches that once concerned the common people are now all about the opposition members. But what if the government is clueless regarding the state affairs, clueless about its performance; what it surely knows is how to trick and delude the people.