By Saeed Qureshi
If we have enough large-heartedness to admit good work of
someone then we must acknowledge that PMNL government has three momentous
achievements earned during its over a year’s stay in power. Before we start we
should concede that elections in Pakistan have seldom been free and fair.
In the heat of opposing the beleaguered PMNL government and siding
with his opponents, let us not lose sight of the fact the in political arenas
the contenders have never been angels. Even in model democratic countries every
trick covert or overt is pulled to win the elections.
The 2013 elections were conducted by a caretaker government
headed by interim Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso. The PMLN was a
participant like all other parties. For about a year there has been relative
calm and political parties both in power and out did not challenge the validity
of the elections. Now Imran Khan and Allama Qadri have suddenly launched a
relentless blitz against the sitting governments for all the crimes and wrong
doings happening in Pakistan.
Visibly as we have watched ever since Allama Qadri and Imran
Khan have mobilized their followers and most of their criticism is clearly
focused personally on Mian Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif. From
counting of votes in four disputed constituencies, the demand has come to the
stage of resignation of both these brothers and their summary prosecution with
demands of immediate sentences.
One can recall in the hindsight of the PNA movement in 1976 against
the then prime minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. ZAB conceded to every
demand of PNA stalwarts but they reneged on every step and finally the Martial
Law was imposed by the then chief of the army staff General Ziaul haq. The rest
is history.
Can we argue that a similar scenario and a replay paradigm is
being built by these fire spitting and stubborn leaders with a small number of
followers in Pakistan to scuttle a democratic system presumably because of some
vendetta, compulsion or agenda nurtured by them and their cohorts about Sharif brothers.
Should we convince and pacify ourselves that Qadri and Imran
are acting out of sheer conviction for genuine revolution or there is more to
it than meets the eye? Should we take it for granted that these leaders possess
the caliber to herald revolution to make Pakistan a model country sooner than
later?
Do they have the a road map to bring about a complete
transformation of Pakistan from a problem ridden country to one like a West
Europe truly democratic, welfare modern state? To make tall claims is one thing
and to fulfill those is another and there no miracles to pull a magic wand and
the desert would turn lush green.
In my opinion both have preconceived agendas that are less
motivated by the interests of Pakistan than subverting a government leaning towards
China for an historic economic cooperation for the monumental uplift of
Pakistan. If the foreign inimical powers can oppose the Pak-Iran gas pipeline
and mining of huge Thar coal deposits in Pakistan that are 6th
largest coal reserves in the world then how would they tolerate Gawadar Port to
be administered by China and constructing the highway connecting China and
Pakistan.
The Thar coal deposits are around 175 million tons and are
sufficient to meet the country’s fuel and energy requirements for centuries.
Chinese have pledged to help Pakistan in every manner in utilizing and
quarrying that hidden treasure.
Let us consider the three outstanding achievements of PMLN in
barely two years. One is the phenomenal achievement to debilitate, crush and liquidate
the criminal mafias of all hues, the sectarian target killers, the extortionist
gangs, the drug warlords, the car lifters, and the state enemies in the grab of
Taliban ruffians and so on.
Though belatedly yet the federal government finally gave a
green signal and free hand to the Rangers and the police to go whole hog in the
largest city Karachi against all enemies of public peace and agents of
subversion and chaos.
Despite deficiencies one can see that Karachi is getting
better and the rampant and unremitting lawlessness has drastically declined and
the back of the villains and criminals mafias has been considerably broken. One
can hope that with the time passage, Karachi would be completely liberated from
the thugs, goons, killers and kidnappers for ransom and its pristine peace
would be revived.
The second brilliant achievement is to flush out the dogged
Taliban from North Waziristan by a massive military operation. That gigantic
blitz is still continuing. Most of the Waziristan has been vacated from the Taliban’s
brutal clutches who had committed countless atrocities, acts of violence,
terrorism, suicide bombing and mass killings on the territory of Pakistan.
North Waziristan was the center and hub of Taliban’s terrorism and bombing
including the Pakistan’s vital defense institutions and airports.
The third monumental achievement is the visit of Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif to China in July 2013 and ink watershed eight agreements.
One of these agreements is the US $18 billion project to build a 2000 miles
highway and rail track between the Kashgar city of China and Karachi including
string of tunnels in the mountainous track passing over a height 4,693 meters.
It has been described as part of the Pakistan-China Economic corridor. It would
open a glorious gateway and gigantic spectrum of economic boom for both the
countries.
On both sides of this highway, the industrial and economic zones
would be created that in return would create countless jobs besides entry of Pakistan
into the fold of prosperous nations. The Prime Minister then said that his
vision was to extend motorways and communication links not only to Kabul but
also to Central Asia and South Asian region. Now these projects would be
primarily built by Chinese engineers and Pakistan would be assisting in that
huge venture.
I would not be swayed by the argument that these are mean and
insignificant achievements. As far IDPs (internally displaced persons) from
North Waziristan, a similar situation exploded in Swat in 2007 when as a result
of Taliban takeover of that beautiful valley, hundreds of thousands of
residents were rendered IDPs.
For clearing Swat valley of Taliban and religious militants
if the credit was rightly conferred upon the then political government of PPP
and the army then in the present case the incumbent government and the Pakistan
army deserves a befitting tribute and due credit.
I conclude my article on reproducing an email sent to me .In
that email it has been very convincingly pointed out that,
“These guys remained silent for almost two
years and now all of a sudden it has dawned on them that 2013 elections were
rigged. Their conscience has started pricking them only now when a cleric and a
cricketer turned politician has staged their dharnas for the last two weeks. Or
maybe they have been made to speak the voice of their conscience when they have
been "tipped" by the powers to be, to speak out their own
"truth", the voice of their "conscience". (Nayyar Hashmey)
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