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Failed promises and decline of K-P | Dunya Blog
After the general elections 2013, once again the political is ready for the upcoming local body polls in Pakistan. The political parties have started their cirque to attract the masses for the local government elections. Before May 11th election, the tall promises like Local body election in 90 days, reform in education and police system, equal health system for all, end of corruption and accountability of corrupt people, were made by Khan. However many of these issues come under provincial government but we haven’t seen anything done by PTI government in K-P.
Pakistan’s self-assumed revolutionary political party, Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has also jumped into this wrestling with new promises and trying to hide the failures of its K-P government. If we observe the political scenario of Pakistani politics, especially Imran Khan’s PTI, we can figure out that it had already started its political campaign for local body polls in November 2013. They started with the announcement of sit-in against NATO supplies and drone attacks. It was the first attempt by PTI to overshadow the deteriorated government of K-P and to seek the support of common people for the upcoming polls. In politics, sit-ins and rallies are considered to be the best tools to spark electronic media and social media attention.
On Nov-13, PTI and its allies announced the anti-US campaign to win back the support of frustrated people who had lost faith in Khan and his party after witnessing a drastic breakdown of governance in K-P. Since PTI-led government was established in K-P, the street crimes, targeted killings, kidnapping and extortion demands have increased marginally. Also, during the period of rallies and sit-in many NATO trucks were looted by the workers of PTI and its allies. Innocent Pakistani truck drivers were beaten up by the so-called anti-US forces. Despite conducting the sit-in outside US and NATO countries’ consulates, they blocked public routes and hence caused a severe transportation problem and a halt in the business activities and the country had to face a huge economical loss. Many complaints were lodged against those political parties which were conducing sit-in against NATO supplies since transport laborers were facing miseries because of zero earnings. After facing major setbacks, PTI has now shifted its political drive towards ‘anti-inflation rallies’ to remain in media.
After the failure of sit-in against NATO supplies, Khan’s party has opted for Plan-B which is actually the campaign against price hike in Pakistan and the title of “jihad against inflation” has been given to this drive. Surprisingly the anti-inflation sloganeers have forgotten to stage the protest against the price hike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. Neither the self-dubbed messiah of common people, Imran Khan has discussed or has taken the responsibility for soaring inflation in Peshawar and K-P nor has PTI’s government taken any practical steps against price hike in K-P.
According to the media reports, prices of essential items including flour, sugar, pulses, meat, rice, milk, bread, cooking oil and tea have risen up in last six months. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, price of 20kg flour bag has risen by PKR 180, tea per kg by PKR 170. While prices of pulses have gone up by PKR 25 per kg, milk by PKR 20 per liter and bread by PKR 4. Price hike in daily routine items has affected the life style of common man.
It would have been good if Imran Khan being the second largest opposition party leader in the National Assembly had invited other opposition forces for practical moves against inflation in the country. But it looks like Khan is still living in the euphoria of doing street politics rather than taking up issues as a legislator.
Such hypocritical and dubious stance of Imran Khan proves that all these sit-ins and rallies are just ‘political gimmicks’. It is easy to chant the slogan of change but difficult to implement the change. The performance of K-P government tells the tale of PTI’s failure of converting its slogan into a reality.
After the general elections 2013, once again the political is ready for the upcoming local body polls in Pakistan. The political parties have started their cirque to attract the masses for the local government elections. Before May 11th election, the tall promises like Local body election in 90 days, reform in education and police system, equal health system for all, end of corruption and accountability of corrupt people, were made by Khan. However many of these issues come under provincial government but we haven’t seen anything done by PTI government in K-P.
Pakistan’s self-assumed revolutionary political party, Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has also jumped into this wrestling with new promises and trying to hide the failures of its K-P government. If we observe the political scenario of Pakistani politics, especially Imran Khan’s PTI, we can figure out that it had already started its political campaign for local body polls in November 2013. They started with the announcement of sit-in against NATO supplies and drone attacks. It was the first attempt by PTI to overshadow the deteriorated government of K-P and to seek the support of common people for the upcoming polls. In politics, sit-ins and rallies are considered to be the best tools to spark electronic media and social media attention.
On Nov-13, PTI and its allies announced the anti-US campaign to win back the support of frustrated people who had lost faith in Khan and his party after witnessing a drastic breakdown of governance in K-P. Since PTI-led government was established in K-P, the street crimes, targeted killings, kidnapping and extortion demands have increased marginally. Also, during the period of rallies and sit-in many NATO trucks were looted by the workers of PTI and its allies. Innocent Pakistani truck drivers were beaten up by the so-called anti-US forces. Despite conducting the sit-in outside US and NATO countries’ consulates, they blocked public routes and hence caused a severe transportation problem and a halt in the business activities and the country had to face a huge economical loss. Many complaints were lodged against those political parties which were conducing sit-in against NATO supplies since transport laborers were facing miseries because of zero earnings. After facing major setbacks, PTI has now shifted its political drive towards ‘anti-inflation rallies’ to remain in media.
After the failure of sit-in against NATO supplies, Khan’s party has opted for Plan-B which is actually the campaign against price hike in Pakistan and the title of “jihad against inflation” has been given to this drive. Surprisingly the anti-inflation sloganeers have forgotten to stage the protest against the price hike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. Neither the self-dubbed messiah of common people, Imran Khan has discussed or has taken the responsibility for soaring inflation in Peshawar and K-P nor has PTI’s government taken any practical steps against price hike in K-P.
According to the media reports, prices of essential items including flour, sugar, pulses, meat, rice, milk, bread, cooking oil and tea have risen up in last six months. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, price of 20kg flour bag has risen by PKR 180, tea per kg by PKR 170. While prices of pulses have gone up by PKR 25 per kg, milk by PKR 20 per liter and bread by PKR 4. Price hike in daily routine items has affected the life style of common man.
It would have been good if Imran Khan being the second largest opposition party leader in the National Assembly had invited other opposition forces for practical moves against inflation in the country. But it looks like Khan is still living in the euphoria of doing street politics rather than taking up issues as a legislator.
Such hypocritical and dubious stance of Imran Khan proves that all these sit-ins and rallies are just ‘political gimmicks’. It is easy to chant the slogan of change but difficult to implement the change. The performance of K-P government tells the tale of PTI’s failure of converting its slogan into a reality.
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