A tale of three reigns

In its history of 70 years, Pakistan has never had a prime minister complete a full term in office

A tale of two cities is a world-famous novel by Charles Dickens. It describes the story of people caught between the French revolution. It describes the atrocities committed during the bleak aftermath of the revolution. The coming and going of different people and governments until the power grab of Napolean is written in history as the ‘reign of terror’. People also come and go in power, some more than once, in Pakistan rather often, until the rule of a powerful dictator. It is, thus, very interesting to compare the changing conditions of Pakistan with the French revolution, the most quoted and perhaps the only known example of a political change by a variety of Pakistani people.

Although it is very farfetched to compare the conditions of France during the French revolution and modern-day Pakistan, it is still not farfetched to understand the basic conditions underlying both these vacuums of stability. France was a monarchy under nominal estates system, Pakistan is a democracy with a strong establishment. There was widespread corruption in France and it is still rampant in Pakistan. There was a lack of institutional character in both the governments. The only difference that exists is the ultimate civil war and bloodshed that France faced just once while Pakistan is the experiment that has faced numerous regime changes and scandals. The one thing that stands out is the level of political immaturity of a nation.

In its history of 70 years, Pakistan has never had a prime minister — the chief executive of the country — complete a full term in office. The reason behind such a travesty is the collective political immaturity of our republic. This immaturity is prominent in our society, which believes that changing a face may somehow solve all their structural social problems. It is the political stupidity of a nascent political party that believes that malignant politics and abusive behaviour will give them the right to rule. It is also the mistakes of the institutions that believe in their supreme paramountcy over all the public and private affairs of the state. This is the same political immaturity that led to the reign of terror in a country that brought about a revolution culminating in civil war and it is the same political immaturity that derives an elected prime minister out of office for not once or twice but thrice. Is it not right then to question this immaturity which leads to such gigantic changes in this country?

It is a fact that people inquire because it is the innate quality of a human being which cannot be curbed. Nothing lies above this inquiry but the answers are same and yet different. The answers to the questions of power in this state are dual in nature. Does the supreme authority lies in the constitution or people who think it as a ‘piece of paper’? Is the power manifested through the elected forum brought by public choice or the bureaucratic hegemonies that judge and decide? Who wields the authority to hold the people accountable under law? Nobody has the right answer but everybody knows and understands it.

It is necessary, therefore, that people read this novel and ponder upon the contrasts that build the premise of the tale. It is necessary for us to think about the situations and conditions of a nation struggling to find the correct paths for prosperity. It is also necessary because when someone among Pakistan writes the tale of three reigns, the tale may be able to comprehend the political immaturity of a vibrant nation stumbled into the abyss of its own quagmire of mistakes and errors.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2017.

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