Let the debates begin

Let us hear what leaders have to say about complex challenges facing our nation today, how they plan on tackling them.

The election season is picking up pace and momentum. Shifting alliances that sometimes defy expectations, and at times even common sense, continue to dominate our conversations in all spheres of life. Yet, in all this excitement, the focus is somehow shifting from the issues to the people. We have somehow become more interested in who is running from which and how many constituencies, instead of what people stand up for, what they will or will not do, and what do they really believe in. Fortunately, for a change, this year we saw political parties talking about education in more detail than all previous elections combined, yet that conversation somehow got lost in all the noise. Policies that have been presented on public health and energy challenges cannot even be said to be paying lip service to these areas. The discussion of real issues has been forgotten in the screaming television shows that I saw during my trip to Islamabad last week. I think it is time to push the proverbial “reset” button and once again focus on the issues. I, for one, am excited that the democratic process is continuing, but it is not just the continuity that is important. We also need to ensure that the process thrives and goes from survival mode to growth and impact mode.

As is customary in nations that value democracy, we should also ensure that our current and aspiring leaders share their vision of the future in a civilised and rigorous debate, which while it may be hard, is not impossible. After all, who would have thought that a government would finish its tenure in Pakistan?

I believe that the citizens of Pakistan deserve to hear more than just the political mud-slinging and the maligning and vicious personal attacks. I believe that the media and the caretaker government should create a platform for a series of nationally televised debates that are civilised, moderated and provide a platform to all major political parties to share their views and answer tough questions about their vision for the future of Pakistan. I propose three debates, with the first being on domestic development and economic issues, including education, health, science and technology, and poverty reduction. Let us hear what our leaders have to say beyond the absurd statements that promise us the moon and more in the first 30 days after being elected. The second debate should focus on foreign policy. Respected and impartial journalists should push our leaders on policy with nations that share our borders and nations that share our economic interests.

The final debate should focus on national security and defence. Let us hear what the leaders have to say about the complex challenges facing our nation today and how they plan on addressing civilian-military relations, deal with various insurgencies, ensure the rights of minorities and create a stable and prosperous Pakistan.

Great leaders are not just the ones who complete their tenures; they are the ones who take the country to a better place, who have the vision to bend the arc of history in the direction of a more prosperous union of its people. Let us judge our leaders, not by the size of their political jalsas, but by the depth of vision and the size of their commitment for a better Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2013.