Daily Times

Imran Khan’s sudden change of strategy hasn’t made the bigger picture any clearer, unfortunately, and now all sorts of rumours are flooding the capital. That PTI called off the sit-in and then the government went ahead with its electoral and NAB reforms hinted in their own ways that the poll might be nearer than most people think.

Yet the ruling party has flatly ruled out any such thing and there are also signs that it only, very reluctantly raised petrol prices after ironclad assurances that it wouldn’t be pushed into an election anytime soon.

So now all eyes are on Imran Khan and what he does after his latest, six-day deadline expires. If he means business, like he says, but the government doesn’t cave into his demands, like it keeps saying, then what can he possibly pull out of the hat that can force an election? Most observers believe, perhaps rightly so, that more uncertainty is the only thing that cab be counted on with certainty.

If the recent past is any indication, there is likely to be a confrontation, resort to courts, and yet more toxification of the blame game.

That’s very bad news for the economy.

The government has finally done the right thing by raising petrol prices, considering the desperate need for the IMF program, but pretty high inflation down the road will force interest rates yet higher and keep a lid on productivity and growth. Sorting things out with the Fund will get more foreign debt, but political chaos at home will drive away all sorts of investments, which are much more crucial than more loans.

All things considered, it would be far better for the people of Pakistan if their political leaders, for once, put their own agendas and interests on the side and agree not to hurt the economy any longer.

What good would it be for either party, one clamouring for an election and the other rigidly opposing it, if it wrecks the economy to get what it wants? The road to elections must be made clear and the people must be allowed to vote in a government with a fresh mandate sooner rather than later. *