Who is Responsible for Pakistan’s Social & Economic Demise?

By Sikander Hayat

Pakistan is going through a terrible time and it seems that matters are quickly getting out of the hands of people who ought to be in control. There are huge domestic problems as well as a small matter of foreign interference by United States, India& Afghanistan.  By any stretch of the imagination, the biggest threats are emanating from within the country. Huge increase in population with total lack of infrastructure has turned Pakistan into a laboratory of diseases like HIV & Hepatitis of all forms.

 Internal & External debt has reached a level which cannot be serviced without outside help. I do not know the definition of a failed state but we cannot be very far off from that disaster. All state institutions are in race to the bottom and prime examples are PIA (Pakistan International Airlines), Pakistan Railways, health & education system to name but a few.

PIA is on the verge of a major disaster which could cause huge loss of life with news of near misses coming thick & fast. PIA can be a highly lucrative institution for Pakistan given the size of Pakistani Diaspora but instead it is being used as a dumping ground for anyone with connections within the government.  

Elections are not very far away and if nothing untoward happens in the next few months, they will take place on time. This is the time for the people of Pakistan to make their choice. They can choose the same people who have made them bleed through their noses or they can choose a different future by voting for cleaner politicians.

Democracy can only be a good system if people can make an informed choice. Even animals learn from their mistakes but people of Pakistan have so far taken an oath not to learn. It is time for us turn a page and do something good for this tired country. Time is running out fast and this may be our last chance for a peaceful change. People cannot be treated as they being treated for very long.

Let me discuss here what can happen if we fail to learn from out mistakes and both scenarios are very unpleasant.

1.       Extension of civil war which is already happening in North & North Western Pakistan. It can be argued that Pakistan Taliban will become weak once America leaves Afghanistan but it is also possible that their message will be absorbed by masses as they do talk about social justice. The hunger for social justice is huge in Pakistan. Such a force which mixes Islam with social justice can bring about a very bloody revolution in Pakistan.

2.       The other scenario is total break-up of Federation resulting in an implosion of Pakistani state but also provinces themselves can break into further pieces. It is not inconceivable that Baluchistan will break up into Pashtun & Baloch parts which Punjab can give rise to a Punjabi, Saraiki & Baloch polity.

Both these are doomsday scenarios with the second one resulting into the dissolution of State of Pakistan. As a Pakistani, I do not want any bloodshed in my country and that is the reason that I hope people of Pakistan will not repeat their past mistakes and will not vote for the people who have been tried & tested many times in last nearly 70 years.