Insaf Ali Bangwar<\/p>\n
Reversing the needle of the clock leads to the tales via which we un\u00adderstand how the societies once crumbled to the dust, rose not only from the ashes but also managed to become the epitome of resil\u00adience and change. What made their change possible was the socioeconom\u00adic and political incentives and initiatives \u2014 broad-based and long-lasting \u2014 created by the state and individuals as well, for good.
\nSolon was one of the archons of ancient Athens, who via his vi\u00adsions led the common Athenians against the mighty elite to cre\u00adate an egalitarian society simultaneously making the elite \u2018hap\u00adpy enough\u2019 so they would not run a rebellious campaign against him within solely a (busy!) year. He \u2014 Solon \u2014 brought about some sort of liberty in the society, relaxed the monopolies of the elite, broke the cage of norms and created economic and political in\u00adcentives to balance the power between the rulers and the ones being ruled.
\nAnother example is from the so-called Western society: the United States of America. After the birth of America as an independent state with thirteen initial counties, the policies and procedures were hard to make though \u2014 same as Pakistan faced in the initial years of indepen\u00addence since we took nine-long-years to present a Constitution \u2014 the American revolutionaries like George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison had taken egalitarian incentives to craft policies and frameworks that were and are one-size-fits-all \u2014 such as the \u2018Patent Sys\u00adtem\u2019. Those policies and the leadership odyssey made the difference! Ge\u00adography doesn\u2019t matter. Leadership matters. The most, in fact. As the na\u00adtion gladly bid adieu to the caretaker government, from August of 2023 all the way to March 2024, the government left scars of political polar\u00adisation, a tattering economy, and worsening sociocultural affairs. The lengthiest of all, the epoch presented an even grimmer picture of Paki\u00adstan with no positive change such as the subjugation of curtain political party leaders along with downsizing democratic values.
\nWith the new government \u2014 weakest of all time, with the coalition of six parties \u2014 comes to surface with Shehzad Sharif as the captain along with a strong and aggressive opposition with an intention of resisting back ev\u00adery legislation presented in the parliament, can he turn the direction of the country towards prosperous Pakistan against the icebergs of poverty, inequality, violence, extremism, fiscal deficits, foreign debts, national se\u00adcurity and political polarisation? Being the only premier of Pakistan with having the privilege to sit on the throne twice in consecutive terms, a lot of expectations are attached to him locally as well nationally. When last time they ascended to the throne \u2014 again, a coalition government i.e PDM \u2014 in consequence of the vote of no-confidence in April 2022, a prolonged cloud of negativity overshadowed the silver lining of stability, a wave of \u2018difficult decisions\u2019 made the marginalised masses suffer further and unresponsive modus operandi towards combating flood repercussions underscored the PTI claims of an \u2018imported government\u2019 due to lack of calamity prepared\u00adness as well as tahe ineffectiveness of post-flood measures.
\nPakistan has always been enduring the dearth of decent leadership, been under the heel of fiscal deficits and has suffered an economic proximity to doldrums. Plus, the hurly-burly political and social upheavals remained questions yet unanswerable for the successive governments. As the coali\u00adtion clan walks in to undertake their respective responsibilities, can they manage to get back the \u2018stability\u2019 that is lost in the whirlpool of vulnerabil\u00adity? Will they apply new tactics and technicalities to recover shackled \u2018pro\u00adductivity\u2019? Will they be able to hold the hand of \u2018sustainability\u2019? Let time tell.
\nOne of the Herculean tasks Shahbaz has to go through is provid\u00ading ministries to the individuals having background of that particular theme. Not to the parliamentarians having proximity to the clan. For ex\u00adample, the finance ministry must go to one with the potential to kill the cause of the problem, not just treating the symptoms. The likes of Ishaq Dar and Shaukat Tareen cannot lead to macroeconomic boons. Plus, the repetition of history will quite unlikely bear expected fruits as a saying goes through: \u201ctwo wrongs cannot make one right\u201d.
\nWith the party deeply rooted in dynastic politics and lurking in the Paki\u00adstani political landscape for decades, one assumes the top position will be crowned on the basis of acquaintanceship. If this happens. Forget it! Paki\u00adstan is never going to be a welfare state \u2014 or appear better at least socio\u00adeconomic and politically. Opportunities lie otherwise. This is a grand op\u00adportunity to navigate the steer of the country towards a better future with an intention and inclination for public mobilisation and goodwill, an ab\u00adsolute fortune to bring the economy back to the track, and one in a thou\u00adsand chance to prove the leadership potential and capability. The inten\u00adtion and skill of delivery would help the party retain some reputation to be able to claim the narratives like \u201cVote Ko Izzat Do\u201d next time around.
\nIf the socioeconomic and political incentives and policies akin to those taken by Solon and the Federalists of the United States of Amer\u00adica \u2014 or above mentioned \u2014 are enacted in the near future by the co\u00adalition clan, the Fulbright future awaits for Pakistani population since this shadow of opportunities, and progressiveness will cover the sti\u00adfling heat of roguery and obsolescence \u2014 if not completely overshad\u00adow it, at least some respite will be on the way.
\nThe writer is a freelance columnist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Insaf Ali Bangwar Reversing the needle of the clock leads to the tales via which we un\u00adderstand how the societies once crumbled to the dust, rose not only from the ashes but also managed to become the epitome of resil\u00adience and change. What made their change possible was the socioeconom\u00adic and political incentives and initiatives […]<\/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":[13312],"class_list":{"0":"post-393055","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-insaf-ali-bangwar"},"yoast_head":"\n