Naseebullah Khan
Change was the slogan of Imran Khan inthe election of 2018. His manifesto talks of revival of economy, good governance accountability, agriculture progress,provision of 10 million jobs, construction of 5 million houses, strengthening federation, revolutionizing social services, and national security. In his reign of alomost four years, his government almost failed to complete the goals. The Manifesto of the PTI government comprised of 61 pages with having 7 chapters. What he promised, what he fulfilled and what not, let see these. Chapter 2 envisages to transform governance, accountability, to empower people through local government, the depolilitization of police, reforms in criminal justice system, reforms in civil service, and ensured freedom of press. Although, around 700 amendments were made in the criminal procedure code which alteration in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the Qanoon-i- Shahadat (law of evidence), Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and other relevant laws and were approved by the federal cabinet which the SCBA had rejected. Despote this, the government failed to accomplish its promises mentioned in chapter 2. The NAB was made an institution of vendetta and political victimization and the country,s rank in corruption index increased 23 points from 117 in 2017 to 140 out of 180 countries in 2021 as per the Amnesty International report. Institutional reforms including in civil services remained hallucination while media freedom was suffocated. The credible journalists were banned on appearing on TV channels. The PECA ordinance was a black sting on the face of the freedom of media. Chapter 3 of the manifesto focused on strengthening federation, FATA merger, initiating Mega projects and allocating 3 percent of divisible Pool for FATA, reconciliation in Balochistan, creation of the South Punjab province, reduction in poverty, and promotion of gender parity. Although FATA was merged in the KPK but starting mega projects there and commitment of alloction of 3 percent of divisioble pool were not fulfilled. Reconciliation in Balochistan, the creation of South Punjab province and gender parity remained a dream. Poverty that was 29 percent in 2018 jumped to 39.2 in 2021. Chapter 4 said that inclusive economic growth, reforms in the FBR, creation of 10 million jobs, construction of five million houses, making Pakistan a business friendly country, fixing energy challenge, ensuring the CPEC to transform it into a game changer, and strengthening international trade. The PTI government failed to accomplish all of these. The GDP growth was reduced to 1.9 percent from 5.8. Realistically, Growth requires building value-chains, building capacities of state,s people, and firms of the government which ware missing during Imran Khan economic policies. Refroms in the FBR were bulldozed by playong a hide and seek game of appointment of chairmans while the government failed to reach the target of tax collection of Rs 8000 billion. Sadly, the incompetence and immaturity spoke volume when the regime made the CPEC at a standstill position. Chapter 5 sheds light to uplit agriculture, revamp livestock, build Dams, and conserve water. The government failed to build a single mega dam rather the progress on the dams that was started during the previous government was slowed. While the growth rate of agriculture that was 3.81 percent in 2018 declined to 2.77 in 2021. Chapter 6 envisaged to revolutionize social services. It aimed to construct one BHU on every 10 km but all in vain. The Sehat Cards were although issued in some specific areas that was the project which was started by the the previous government that aimed to expend it throughout the country but the PTI led government failed is expansion across the country. The chapter also talks of progress in education, culture, sport, tackling population growth, provision of clean water, overcoming climate change, and youth empowerment. Unfortunately, the government gave up the ghost to do so. The budget of the HEC was reduced, the youth empowerment remained a dream, where despite providing them with jobs thousends of them fell to unemployment. The situation became piteous when the Imran Khan led government stoped fee_reimbursement for poor students of FATA and Balochistan and bannd laptop schemes to the students. Although, unanimous syllabus was agreed upon but the core issues of education sector remained unresolved. Stopping the growth in population, curbing climate change, and provision of clean drinking water were not handled effectively. The national water policy of 2018 that was a milestone document was not abide by. Chapter 7 deals with national security.The PTI led government although proposed a national security strategy upon which working had started during the previous government. Piteously, the government of Imran Khan failed in internal and external fronts both. Terrorism in the country surged again where in the first 10 days of April 2022, the TTP has claimed 20 attacks despite of brutal attacks on an Imambargah in Peshawer and attacks on security forces in Panjgure and Noshki__ a couple of weeks ago. While, on foreign policy front India annexed Kashmir upon which the response of the government was dismal by failing to raise the illegal annexation on international level. The relations with Muslim umma, America, European union, and even China have been facing serious setbacks. What went wrong? And what made Imran Khan and his government faile? Despite fulfillment of the manifestove some of the reasons that contributed to the fall of Imran Khan from grace are, Psychopathic attitude of Imran Khan, poor Judgment of the issues, bad governance, nepotism, corruption, halting the CPEC, failure to learn from past experience, manipulative behaviour, stubbornness, narcissism, pushing opposition to the wall, political victimization and vendetta, incompetence, failure to grasp the institutional issues by blaming and shaming them, exaggeration, favouring abused culture and intolerance, political radicalization of its workers, and dysfunctionality of the parliament. Notwithstanding, Ill minded advisors whowere always in struggle of hatred and negative agenda setting provided fuel to the situation. The hype that was created on letter issue was the last nail in the coffin. The main culprit behind the drama was ShahMehmood Qurashi who misguided Imran Khan despite handling the situation. He was a seasoned politician and had been foreign minister before too __ who knew what a Cable and a cypher were. He had experienced about the contents of diplomatic letters. Despite stopping Imran Khan from the treator mantra, Mr. Qurashi himself was in the first row of beating the drum of the traitor narrative. Ministere like Sheikh Rashid, Fawad chudhry who had personal issues and conflict of interest with PMLN misled and blidfolded Imran Khan. Moreover, incompetency of federal ministers was speaking volume who converted politics into vendetta and victimization. The case of Rana Sanullah would be a black stong of political victimization on the face of Shehryar Afridi the former miniter of Norcotics control. Apart from this, the right people were not fitted in right positions, such as Sheikh Rasheed and Azam Swati who had no experience of interior and railway ministries. Allegations on Farah Gogi and scandal of her interference in the affairs of Punjab government along with the dysfunctionality and incompetency of Usman buzdar swept away the PTI government. The slogan which Imran Khan had taken in 2018 election was anti corruption__ proved to be misleading after the fleeing of Farah Gogi from Pakistan at the eleventh hour of the fall of the PTI rule. The dependence of Imran Khan on turncoats who had rushed and had joined PTI in 2018 elections in the animosity of PMLN and PPP and neglecting the true leadership of the PTI proved to be fatal in the fall of Imran Khan from grace. The tail piece is that hallucination, narcissism, stubbornness, nepotism, incompetency, lack of farsightedness, tussles with state institutions, and failure in accomplishment of manifestove led Imran Khan to fall in a brazen, disgraceful, and deplorable way. It should be hoped that the next government will learn from the colossal failure of the PTI government.
