Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed in his address to the nation that he will fight till the last ball because he is a fighter. He expressed these views just a day before the voting on the no-trust motion against him in the National Assembly. According to the Prime Minister, he was told to tender his resignation before the vote on the no-trust motion but he would fight till the very end. The most important aspect of his speech was a threatening letter that he received from another country. First, he revealed that the letter was sent by the US but later, he said that it was from another western country. The Prime Minister of Pakistan thinks that he is being punished for an independent foreign policy just the way Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was punished. It is a matter of fact that there was a time when America used to play its role in the internal affairs of Pakistan. The governments in Pakistan used to be formed with the blessing of America. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also claimed during the last days of his government that American Foreign Minister had threatened him to abandon the nuclear program of Pakistan otherwise he would be made an “example.”

Talking about the no-trust motion against Imran Khan, he thinks that it is a foreign conspiracy hatched to oust his government. He also claimed that he will be more strengthened once the voting on the no-trust motion takes place irrespective of its result. According to Khan, the threatening letter also mentioned the no-trust motion against him. He noted that he wanted to show the threatening letter to the leaders of the opposition parties but they had boycotted the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of National Security. Whatever the result of the no-trust motion is, I’ll not budge from my stance, said Khan.

Our politicians must think about the issues of the common man instead of always trying to reach the power corridors.

It is really unfortunate that the political atmosphere of Pakistan has gotten this polluted during the last few weeks. The politicians of Pakistan were desperate to reach the corridors of power and no one seemed worried about the problems being faced by the masses. The lust for power has forced them to abandon the basis teachings of morality. Those who used to call each other thieves and dacoits were sharing the same table while enjoying lunches and dinners. Both the government and opposition don’t care about the common man in this fight for power but their only agenda is to safeguard their personal interests. The politicians of Pakistan only want the protection of their ill-gotten money that they have accumulated through unfair means and therefore, a circus has been going on for the last couple of days.

How can one forget the fiery speeches of Shehbaz Sharif when he used to criticize Asif Ali Zardari? The PML-N President had once said while delivering a speech at Lahore’s Bhatti Gate that he would hold Zardari from his collar and drag him on the roads. Now, the same Shehbaz Sharif is hosting Zardari–only to reach the power corridors. Similarly, Imran Khan used to avoid going to the funerals of his close friends and relatives, but now we have seen how he visited all of his allies only to remain in the power. He severely criticised the MQM in the past but then he tried his best to woo the part. Alas! He failed! Where is morality in politics? Where are the people of Pakistan who are suffering from inflation and unemployment? No one talks about the common man and these politicians only want the “power” to rule the country.

The political temperature kept on the rise in the country during the last few days and the worst mudslinging was in practice between the government and opposition. The Islamabad Police raided the parliament lodges–the place where the MNAs reside during their stay in the federal capital. Some very unpleasant scenes were witnessed between the legislators and the Islamabad Police at the parliament lodges. Both MNAs and the officials of the state were in direct confrontation and no one was ready to budge from their stance. Then, the visuals were seen of a large number of MNAs hailing from the ruling party staying at Islamabad’s Sindh House, which is in use by the PPP government. According to the MNAs, over two dozen of their colleagues were residing in Sindh House because they feared that the federal government of PTI may abduct them ahead of the voting on the no-trust motion against PM. They were all disgruntled MNAs of PTI who had shown severe reservations over the performance of Imran Khan to run the affairs of the government. The Prime Minister said that the PPP was buying the loyalties of his MNAs and there was a huge sum of money available at the Sindh House these days for horse-trading. Then, everyone saw unpleasant scenes outside the Sindh House when the PTI workers reached there to protest against those disgruntled MNAs. It was really sad to see a large number of PTI workers, including its two MNAs, forcefully enter the Sindh House in a confrontation with the police of another province that was guarding the building. It was an attack on the building that represented the state. Pakistan cannot afford such kind of chaos and instability keeping in view the changing dynamics of the region.

The time demands that all parties should remain calm keeping in view the national interest of the country. Our politicians must think about the issues of the common man instead of always trying to reach the power corridors. The national interest must be held supreme for once, instead of the usual personal agenda.

The writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.