Najm us Saqib<\/p>\n
Scene one: PML (N) is already in celebration mode but the enthu\u00adsiasm about the PM ship seems to have mellowed down. Its leadership has been successful in wriggling out of all cases as the Courts, the NAB and the ECP have taken a sympathetic view of all past \u2018wrongdoings\u2019 to ensure pro\u00advision of a level-playing-field to the apparently chosen par\u00adty. Western Ambassadors have held meetings with the PML (N) su\u00adpreme leader. All other parties have ac\u00adcepted \u2018pre-poll rigging\u2019 albeit not be\u00adfore expressing their indignation. With IK still incarcerated, PML (N) leaders will have no difficulty in running the \u2018mandatory\u2019 election campaign. PPPP would be pleased to retain Sindh and would not mind at all to get a few addi\u00adtional seats in Punjab. PTI is working on how to gather their \u2018independent\u2019 can\u00addidates under its broken umbrella once they contested elections with signs oth\u00ader than the bat. IPP is all set to become PML (Q) of yesteryears. Parliament is getting ready to witness the largest ba\u00adzar ever of horse trading. The mass\u00ades are wondering why money is being squandered for holding elections if the results thereof are already known.
\nScene two: The internal security situ\u00adation is getting worse by the day. TTP and its cohorts are keeping the LEAs busy twenty-four-seven. The new wave of terrorism remains a matter of grave concern for the Armed Forces, Intelli\u00adgence Agencies and the caretaker setup alike. Kabul seems reluctant in acceding to Islamabad\u2019s requests. The return of refugees has caused additional frictions between the two countries. Islamabad seems determined to eliminate terror\u00adism and extremism against all odds.
\nScene three: A dismal economic situ\u00adation continues to portray bleak pros\u00adpects as low tax revenue, large energy sector debt, huge SOEs losses, low ex\u00adports and super subsidies keep giving sleepless nights to the country\u2019s eco\u00adnomic managers. On the other hand, some measures have shown promis\u00ading signs as the dollar flight is halt\u00aded; some smugglers and hoarders are reprimanded; a few electricity and gas thieves have been apprehended; and the stock exchange is showing unprec\u00adedented trends. The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) established to attract billions of dollars mainly from the GCC countries, has since been intro\u00adduced in the UN General Assembly and the World Economic Forum (WEF).
\nScene four: Sino-Pakistan relations are getting strengthened with the com\u00admencement of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corri\u00addor (CPEC) while the US-Pak trajecto\u00adry still causes concerns for Islamabad. The COAS\u2019s military diplomacy takes routes in Washington but matters re\u00adlating to trade and investment could not be addressed. Islamabad has start\u00aded looking towards the East with hopes of compensating for the loopholes in the economy. Pakistan remains \u2018irrele\u00advant\u2019 for India as the latter starts pok\u00ading its nose in AJK\u2019s affairs after getting a nod from its Supreme Court regarding its actions of 5 Aug 2019. With no hope of normalization of relations, Pakistan choses to overlook India and refocus its attention on matters other than Kash\u00admir. Perhaps, it is time that Islamabad pulled out a copy of its first ever Nation\u00adal Security Policy from the archives and have it updated, particularly its chapter on the country\u2019s foreign policy.
\nElection Scene: The President, the Su\u00adpreme Court, the Election Commis\u00adsion of Pakistan, the caretaker PM and all the major political parties have de\u00adcided rather vowed to hold the polls in the country on 8 February. The Supreme Court has warned all tv channels against airing any views that could put the elec\u00adtion date in doubt. Candidates from vari\u00adous parties along with the independents have been allotted election symbols. Election campaigns have commenced with all three major parties expressing confidence over their chances of win\u00adning majority seats. However, the Senate of Pakistan, quoting the alarming securi\u00adty situation and the extreme cold weath\u00ader, would wish to delay the election date by at least three months. Many believed that since the most popular political party had been denied its election sym\u00adbol during a televised hearing of the Su\u00adpreme Court just a few weeks before the elections, the Senate or any other stake\u00adholder might not have any objection on holding elections on the announced date. Nevertheless, the Senate keeps reit\u00aderating its demand of delaying the polls, one resolution after another.
\nThe twist: Iran and Pakistan have de\u00adcided to address all issues amicably af\u00adter exchanging drones and missiles. Both countries have also decided to follow the path of negotiation after proving a point or two. Hence, if elections get delayed, the reasons thereof must be outside the prevailing tensions between the two neighborly Muslim countries. It would be interesting to see how the caretakers would justify any delay in elections.
\nAssessment: Facing serious existen\u00adtial threats, Pakistan is in the grip of a grotesque albatross. The alarming se\u00adcurity situation and the deteriorating economic predicament have made the upcoming general elections almost in\u00adconsequential. The hopes of having some kind of political certainty even af\u00adter the general elections, are gradually fading. The already jaded elections even if held on time or delayed, are likely to produce an unevenly hung Parliament whose first and foremost job would be to present the country\u2019s budget. The in\u00adcumbent President needs replacement. The coveted posts of PM, CM Punjab and the Federal Finance and Foreign Minis\u00adters are likely to be contested fiercely, thereby, creating further chaos with\u00adin the rank and file of the ruling party as well as in Parliament. The mantra of \u2018mujhey kiun nikala\u2019 could not be ruled out as the three-time PM has a right to know the reasons of his unceremonious ouster. Hence, the ghosts of the past are likely to first haunt and then mar the political landscape, thereby, bringing the country back to square one.
\nThe question that might have prompt\u00aded the Senate to have the general elec\u00adtions delayed perhaps related to the continuation of the policies put in place by the caretaker setup particularly the SIFC and the privatization process. As the new democratically elected PM is not likely to follow the footsteps of a caretaker PM, the needle on the elec\u00adtions\u2019 clock has refused to tick any fur\u00adther. The choice is between the devil and the deep blue sea. Hence, one thing could be safely deduced. Whether the elections are held in February or May, the outcome will pose more problems for the country than offering solutions.
\nClearly, a battle between the democrat\u00adic process and the process of economic recovery has commenced. Due to several factors, in Pakistan, democracy and eco\u00adnomic prosperity has somehow become mutually exclusive. As miracles don\u2019t happen in this age, the politicians are not likely to gather under one roof and assure the powers-that-be to collectively work for the country\u2019s future. Seemingly, the chosen party is not in a mood to blink and provide requisite assurances. It wants the lion\u2019s share. All said and done, political uncertainty is likely to continue or, God forbid, Pakistan may have to face the unlikely outcome of a political failure in any third world country. Meanwhile, the nation is forced to endure uncertain\u00adties in almost every sphere of life.<\/p>\n
Courtesy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Najm us Saqib Scene one: PML (N) is already in celebration mode but the enthu\u00adsiasm about the PM ship seems to have mellowed down. Its leadership has been successful in wriggling out of all cases as the Courts, the NAB and the ECP have taken a sympathetic view of all past \u2018wrongdoings\u2019 to ensure pro\u00advision […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[12978],"class_list":{"0":"post-382437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-najm-us-saqib"},"yoast_head":"\n