Dr. HasanAskari

Lahore         

There are five major players that are engaged in five-cornered struggle for power in the name of democracy, Islam and independent judiciary. This makes it extremely difficult for the federal and provincial governments to perform their job with uninterrupted devotion.

    Pakistan is passing through a difficult and uncertain time.

     The most threatening problems faced by Pakistani state, society and the people include the highly troubled economy and declining foreign investment; religious and social extremism; internal disorder and violence, especially in Karachi and the Baloch districts in Balochistan; growing poverty and underdevelopment; electric power shortages that are likely to continue for years; increased ethnic and sectarian conflict, especially the targeting of Shia Hazara community in Balohistan; terrorism; little respect for social responsibility and collective good on the part of the people and their organizations; and hostility towards the rest of the world, especially the United States and other Western countries. There is a noticeable frenzy and extremism in the behavior of a large number of people regarding domestic issues and foreign policy that makes it possible for the political parties to mobilize the people against any policy adopted by the federal government. 

   There are five major players that are engaged in five-cornered struggle for power in the name of democracy, Islam and independent judiciary. This makes it extremely difficult for the federal and provincial governments to perform their job with uninterrupted devotion. 

  The major opposition parties, especially the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, are the first set of players that are actively engaged in power struggle. These two parties are contesting each other for greater role in politics as well as separately targeting the PPP-led federal government for its removal. The PMLN does not have enough votes in the National Assembly to pull down the federal government and the PTI has no representation in the parliament. Both attempt to generate pressure outside the parliament to dislodge the government. At times, they look towards the Supreme Court and the military for getting rid of this government. 

  The second dimension of brute struggle for power includes the Islamic parties and militant groups that pursue policies that reflect a narrow and unrealistic outlook dominated by a puritanical and hardline view of Islam coupled with anti-U.S. and anti-India outlook.  Without giving any attention to the imperative of global politics and Pakistan’s economic predicament, these parties want to remove the federal government by street agitation. The latest agitation aims at reversing the decision to allow transit facilities to U.S/NATO goods.   

  The PMLN and the PTI are also opposed to reopening of transit facilities for the U.S. and NATO but these parties do not want the Islamic parties to get the lead of anti-federal government movement. Therefore, they will not join the protest, although they will continue to criticize the federal government.

  Third,  Pakistan’s domestic and foreign policy problems have increased because the performance of the PPP-led federal government has been disappointing. It has performed poorly in managing the economy, the electric power problems and the problems of the common people.

   The federal government has spent more time in securing itself in power against the pressure generated by the superior judiciary and the opposition.  The PPP’s provincial governments in Sindh and Balochistan have also not shown much initiative in managing governance issues.

  The performance of the PMLN government has also been poor. It has attempted to cover-up its deficiencies by targeting the federal government for criticism and street agitation. Its ministers are engaged more in fighting with the PPP than addressing the problems of the province.

 Fourth, the federal government had to cope with the pressure from the military that diverts its attention from governance and policy issues. On the one hand the military top brass maintain normal relations with the federal government. On the other hand they do not miss any opportunity to pressure the federal government if they feel that their interests are being neglected or the federal government is not paying attention to their policy preferences.

  Fifth, the Supreme Court and the High Courts have emerged as new and powerful political players that are using judicial activism to increase their scope of authority at the expense of elected civilian institutions. The stepped-up judicial interference has contributed to increasing poor management of affairs by the federal government.  The federal government had to spend Rs. 70 million as lawyers’ fee and related expenses for its cases in the Supreme Court and High Courts.

  The confrontation between the federal government and the superior judiciary is expected to increase as the parliament passes the new contempt of court law. The Supreme Court is expected to see this development as an encroachment on its powers.

  This five-cornered power struggle is eroding the capacity of the federal government to pay serious attention to the problems that threaten the future of Pakistan as a state that can undertake its domestic and external responsibilities. The future of democracy also appears to be in danger. None of the five players gives any sign of moderation.