K-P: The politics of turmoil

Centre’s indifference on various issues causing more damage

PESHAWAR: How difficult is it to govern a province like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa? The answer is not as straightforward as one would imagine, particularly considering the trajectory of violence and security since 2002, followed by the economic crunch.

There have been three different governments in K-P and a number of parties with their own ideologies. If drawn as a graph, a comparison of all these governments would be like undulating sea waves in stark opposition to each other in what they aspired to deliver but not what they actually delivered.

Timespan politics

The National Finance Commission (NFC) Award; Net Hydel Profit (NHP); tackling security; financial constraints; and political turmoil have all been ritualistically the same.

The issues persisted even when the Awami National Party was in coalition with the Pakistan Peoples Party. Then PPP was the leading party in the centre. Now Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is leading the coalition and has been at logger heads with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal was an altogether different breed which cannot be judged through the political lenses of other mainstream parties. It enjoys a place of value which is just its own, unprecedented. And yet, their issues were similar.

History on repeat

While the province and the Centre have a history of clashes over resources, the political forecast seems to be more confrontation and aggravation in the near future. The only difference is there is something more precious at stake: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The issue has been discussed several times with varying intensity but there seems to be little progress; not on the physical road itself but on political reconciliation.

However, there has been much discussion on the differences over the CPEC without any discussion on what political parties—which have gathered under one umbrella to get ‘their’ share—fear. Everyone wants a slice of the CPEC pie, but nobody wants to say it loud and clear.

Bringing home the meat

Recently, the PTI-led government had a word with the Centre to increase NHP from Rs6 billion to Rs18.704 billion; the money has still not been released. Reminiscent of the former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s announcement in Peshawar to release Rs110 billion, which were paid in four yearly installments after K-P threatened to walk out of the 7th NFC Award?

And all this is happening with the new elections in sight.

The present government needs the money to show what it aspired to give the electorate, amidst ADP cuts. Those outside the government hope it takes long enough for it to never materialise.  And while the next elections will be about good governance and party performances, a major chunk of that will still rely on how much effort is put in into bringing the larger chunk of the money home.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2016.