Once again Pakistan’s political landscape is in trouble and troubleshooters are trying new dramas in the already fragile political situation of the country. The Pak Sar Zameen Party (PSP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) marriage and quick disengagement raised many eyebrows. Mustafa Kamal’s recent press conference proved that interference in politics is still continuing and our real masters are again playing cards before the 2018 elections. Pervez Musharraf is another scapegoat. The interference in politics, which started with the formation of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJT) and then Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) and onward is now using parties, which are struggling for their survival. On one hand we have Imran Khan’s new style of free-for-all politics, which allows abuse and misconduct, and on the other hand are masters who are tying smaller parties with their so called unity slogans.
In this whole current scenario, we have lost the real dedicated hard working class of politicians, all we have left are people who are like money making machines surrounding politics.
This trend in politics will lead us nowhere and will ultimately harm politics and democracy in Pakistan. Now, the 2018 general elections are very close and political parties have to release their manifestos. The reality is that many Pakistanis are now facing chronic malnutrition, stunted growth, lack of schooling, chronic poverty, illiteracy, serious drinking water crisis, loan burdens and above all an unemployed young population.
I don’t know whether political party manifestos are of any use, because nothing has been achieved by the last three so-called democratic governments. All major political parties must rethink their priorities and keep an eye on interference from non-stakeholders in politics, otherwise the loser will be our democracy, major political parties and above all the people of Pakistan.
- The reader is a freelance writer based in Pakistan
