June 3, 2012
By Farhan Bokhari

Pakistan’s ruling coalition lived up to its reputation of seemingly avoiding tough solutions to tough challenges. This was once again evident in the country’s annual budget on Friday.

The event, though not necessarily of a milestone character for Pakistan’s economic outlook, was celebrated by some as the first ever moment when an elected civilian government successfully delivered its fifth straight budget in setting the pace for the completion of its five-year tenure.

Yet, the ugly acrimony surrounding Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh’s speech in parliament said much about the prevailing condition in Pakistan. Shaikh chose to plug himself with a set of earphones while delivering the speech, as a convenient ploy to disregard protests by members of the main opposition party in the parliament — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

However, along with the speech came the most rowdy protests in parliament, ever seen on budget day. Amid fisticuffs and the use of crude language, Shaikh chose to present the budget, which later saw more criticism than approval across the country.

For some, the moment of glory for the ruling coalition, led by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), was quickly lost in the controversy generated by this years’ budget. Ironically, Shaikh’s use of ear plugs worked as a powerful reminder of the character of Pakistan’s present-day regime — notorious for disregarding the voices from across the country.

In sharp contrast to the affluent lifestyles of Pakistan’s elite, the dismal conditions across the country are all too obvious to those who fear bloody consequences of a deepening divide. The case of frequent electricity shortages, backed by disruptions in gas supplies and shortages of water in many parts of Pakistan, point towards a deepening failure by the state to care for the bulk of its population.

With regard to power shortages, while Pakistan reportedly has the installed capacity to generate enough electricity to meet the demands of its people, the supply cuts are indeed a consequence of prevailing financial conditions. The government says, rising global oil prices have had a crippling effect on many economies around the world, including that of Pakistan’s, making it unaffordable for the regime to import enough oil to run oil-fired power generation plants to their full capacity.

However, deeper below, lies a two-pronged set of challenges. First, Pakistan’s ruling structure, led by president Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, has emerged one of the most controversial of its kinds in the country’s history. Stories of corruption at high places have made it virtually impossible for the regime to mobilise a new wave of popular support to take the country through fresh reforms — all in the interest of improving the quality of daily living conditions.

The other point worth noting is the utter disregard shown by the leaders towards the serious challenges faced by the people on a daily basis. Notwithstanding the frequent promises made by the officials to create a state where the quality of life will improve dramatically, most Pakistanis still find themselves paying more than what they should. The inability of Pakistan’s rulers to end the crises — ranging from shortage of electricity and gas to curbing widespread breakdown of governance — must eventually return to haunt the current regime.

In the days ahead, Pakistanis, however, will be presented with an important opportunity. With elections due by the first quarter of 2013, the people of Pakistan must make it a point to turn out in large numbers to vote for a cause — the cause of changing the nation’s future direction. At the same time, the PML-N must also rise to the occasion in presenting an alternative formula to create a vision for change.

Finally, in seeking to press for change, Pakistanis must also clearly search for political alternatives. In the past year, Imran Khan, the former cricket star-turned-politician has struck a receptive chord wherever he has travelled across Pakistan, as the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Pakistan Justice Party).

It is too early to tell if Imran is indeed the rising star of Pakistan’s political future. But receptive and ever-swelling crowds of supporters of Imran point to an emerging trend — that Pakistanis are just too tired of the way their country is being run today.

Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political and economic matters.

source: Gulf News