KARACHI:
In the backdrop of increasing tensions in Pakistan’s political climate, it is rather unfortunate that the use of derogatory and explicit language by politicians in the media has taken the forefront. Pakistan’s democracy is facing a grave crisis of civility which offers little solace to the citizens who are facing innumerable economic and social challenges in the midst of the coronavirus situation.
As the opposition continues to take blows below the belt, and the politics of labelling opponents as “traitors” takes precedence, politicians fail to realise that the very core of democracy in Pakistan gets targeted. Although accountability is considered as a foundational premise of democratic ideology, using it to subvert the opposition is equivalent to marring our political image, regionally and internationally. By now, it has become rather evident that if such verbal onslaught rages on against the government and the military establishment, amid the cacophony of deafening attacks, both the government and the opposition will end up losing focus on the state of our economy and issues of the people. Even though Pakistan has been globally appreciated for combatting the deadly coronavirus effectively, it is vital that we do not lose momentum. Thus, both the government and the opposition need to keep their personal vendettas aside and remind themselves that they are here for one and only one purpose — to serve the people and safeguard their collective interests.
In this respect, politicians need to retain the aura of civility which is inextricably lacking in our national conversation. Furthermore, it is important to understand that the purpose of debates between government and opposition representatives is not to exchange barbs, but rather to find constructive solutions for the most pressing economic and social concerns that plague our country, such as rising unemployment, increasing job insecurities, poverty, gender inequalities, crime and deviance. At present, we find these challenges exacerbating due to the inability of our political leaders to engage in civil discourse. This needs to be changed.
Hadia Mukhtar
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2020.
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