July 27, 2015
News
Nawaz, Imran should forgive 180 million people of Pakistan
By Shabbir SarwarAt a time when the PML-N and PTI leaders are demanding each another to offer a general apology to the nation, the people of Pakistan are taking it differently.
A common man is asking them that instead of making demands of ‘general apology’, the PML-N and PTI leaders must forgive this nation of 180 million Pakistanis and move forward to perform their responsibilities as per their election manifestos and oath they have sworn in. Both the parties, being representative of the people of Pakistan, as they emerged the two largest political parties of the country in the general election 2013, totally remained unable to work so far as per the aspirations of their voters.
Two years, two months and fifteen days have passed since the general election held on May 11, 2013, and the whole nation is still in the dilemma of election results. Long protest sit-ins, decline of economy, decrease in foreign investment and rise to capital flight; and APS terrorist attack and such incidents were a result of this chaos. The whole nation remained in the state of confusion and disorder. Now it’s a very positive sign that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has adopted the policy of national reconciliation in his recent address to the nation and PTI Chairman Imran Khan also finally accepted the decision of Judicial Commission on election results.
Now it is time to restart building the nation. The PML-N must revisit its priorities. Sharif brothers’ craze to build road infrastructure and Metro transportation facilities only at the cost of ignorance of health, education and other key indicators of development would cost heavily to the nation. There should be a balanced policy. The commitment of working on war footing for power generation is being ignored. Education and health sectors are getting less. Foreign policy issues are there in the absence of a regular foreign minister. Corruption money is yet to be recovered. Self-accountability is a big question. Nepotism and favouritism is on the rise. Devolution of power is not being allowed. Media monitoring and control mechanism is missing.
While Imran sings songs of police reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province grapples with police-related problems, law and order issues, extremism and terrorism, education and health problems, women rights, human rights, poor judicial system and many more. IK needs to revisit his election manifesto and take corrective measure. Mere sloganeering of the police reforms and online FIR registration process would not remain achievements to celebrate for a long time. He and his team in KP needs to deliver a lot because KP is one of most deprived and backward provinces of the country. Hence the destination is so far.
Meanwhile, the very negative role of our mainstream media, which is creating a hype over and sensationalising the judicial commission report. When Imran has accepted the report in clear words why media is behind and trying to create and controversy. Why journalists are being allowed to announce in the live current affair programmes and that they have emerged as victorious in the wake of JC decision. Why media is doing development journalism and overly focussing political communication. It seems that PEMRA, CPNE and APNS and doing nothing but minting money from government and other sources. No media reforms are being made for the collective well-being of the society and the Social Responsibility Theory and self-regulations are missing links in the electronic media practice.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif very wisely adopted the policy of reconciliation and refrained himself from negatively portraying PTI leader for not accepting election results and wasting time of the nation and invited PTI for joint efforts towards development. However, team members including Pervaiz Rasheed, Saad Rafique and others didn’t followed the fashion and indulged in blaming the PTI and making demands of Imran’s general apology to the nation. This policy of diplomacy wouldn’t work. If the PM is really interested in adopting the policy of reconciliation, he must ensure that the same is followed by him team as per the norms of a true leadership.
It high time that both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan take pity on this nation and poor people of Pakistan, forgive the countrymen, for they have elected them through their ballot and must work for the betterment of their fate. Further wastage of time would adversely affect the nation. Development of the provinces where they have won peoples’ mandate is their prime responsibility. The nation is facing serious threats of floods, poverty, power crisis, Indian aggression, Balochistan issue, 25 million out-of-school children, street children, health hazards, foreign policy and other national and international challenges. All these challenges need a united policy and real contribution instead of wastage of energies to fight each other.
The writer is a PhD scholar
and he can be reached at communicarepk@gmail.comCourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk