Unholy alliance

Muhammad Usman

WITH electoral triumph of Imran Khan in election 2018, alliance of ruling elite among themselves along with other exploitative segments of the country, is getting more menacing to reverse their dwindling fortunes. While speaking in National Assembly after his exit from federal cabinet as finance minister, Asad Umar said that this mafia is accustomed to using money of Pakistan’s taxpayers on themselves and when they have seen those doors closing, they have teamed up, making a very powerful combination. We will need to stand up to them and bare their conspiracies. This is no attempt by him to take refuge for having failed to live up to expectations, levied upon him to steer the country out of economic muddle. A mere look around the events taking place, would smack of presence of unholy alliance of such sort.
Over last decade, our ruling elite particularly, Sharif family cobbled together an establishment of their own comprising of Babus, Qazis, a large chunk of media and economic mafia under patronage of outside powers. After defeat of ruling elite in elections, they have joined hands even more closely as now it also involves matter of their survival and existence in face of noose of accountability approaching them. Of late, Imran Khan expressed reservations about civil bureaucracy of dragging its feet on vision and policies being set forth by his government. Its instances are in no dearth to eyes of all and sundry. The petitions of ruling elite, facing charges of massive corruption are heard expressly for relief and are being granted too, even with no precedence earlier. Allied media is in vanguard. It twists everything blatantly to propel their unsavory moves to ditch Imran Khan and his government.
The objectivity seems a permanent causality. In the wake of reshuffle in cabinet, they have adjudged him incompetent to run a government. The customized talk shows/surveys are being shown on TV screens to reinforce their point as well as spread despondency and despair among people. His remarks about terrorism in Iran are being clubbed with Dawn Leak; an absolutely absurd attempt. His remarks were about terrorism by non-state actors. The Dawn Leak was an ill motivated drama to portray a state sponsored terrorism. Only darker side of economy is presented while conveniently, setting aside numerous efforts to resurrect a vibrant economy out of an imploding economy under exploding debt beyond own repayment capacity, corruption, deficits of all kinds, inconsistent/contradictory fiscal policies and poor governance etc. Earlier, at best, aim was to keep wreckage of economy afloat. Now aim is to build economy based on robust growth and development. The media gimmicks add to financial worries of a common man and sow uncertainty and nervousness in minds of business community.
Admittedly, due to depreciation of currency and hike in prices of petroleum/other energy related products, prices of consumer items have gone up. Besides, there is an aspect of lesser trickled down effect born of policies being undertaken to revamp the economy. Notwithstanding these, prognoses about economy are encouraging because of government’s policies about ease of business, expected substantial amount of FDI and likely adequate flow of funds from world’s financial institutions and friendly countries for development and repayment of debt however, sentiments in business circles remain in red. One of main reasons for volatile response is big businesses which play with sentiments according to their own specifications and are in league with ruling elite. It is a known fact that world financial institutions are proxies of big powers. Until last year, they were sufficiently satisfied with economy of Pakistan under Ishaq Dar, known for fudging economy and is now an absconder for fear of accountability. Since then, no earthshaking development has taken place in our economic parameters but now they stand very apprehensive of economy of Pakistan. These projections are dangerously unconducive to activities of national life particularly, to economy because basically money is coward. In times of uncertainty, suspicion and risk hazard, it gets nervous. Either it takes flight or holed up. The Zardari followed by his son Bilawal Zardari has warned that NAB and economy cannot coexist together. This is no without meaning. At present, our economic ordeal is mother of our all migraines. This needs conducive environments to make steady progress.
The ruling elite cannot cause any popular upheaval because they are completely tainted in black and never had charisma and mass appeal to rally the people around their cause. To the contrary, they could definitely trick them by their perfect skills in political chicanery, sophistry and venality.They can cause a sense of discontentment, disillusionment and hopelessness among people, tormented by severely cramped conditions of life if allowed to hunt around as freely as now despite their involvement in mega corruption cases with circumstantial evidence as well as public endorsement in abundance. This would also be inimical to spirit of change among the people, harboured by Imran Khan over a long haul. This is an invaluable asset and needs to be preserved. We stand at crossroads which can make or unmake our destiny viable economically, politically and socially. Something needs to be done urgently. This may lie in speedy conclusion of accountability of two bigwigs; Sharif and Zardari families. This is likely to go a long way to break nexus of unholy alliance in point because when head is down, in all probabilities, game ends.
— The writer, retired Lt Col, is freelance columnist based in Islamabad.

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