Governance in the new era: despair to hope

The Elections 2024 have been overshadowed by the accompanied controversies and allegations of pre-poll and poll-day rigging. Amid these eclipsing factors Pakistan, how so ever is moving towards formation of new governments at the Centre and in provinces. Best proposal to mitigate these issues and forestall a possible political destabilisation is that the legal processes and remedies should be run at fast track to clarify situation and dispense justice. Ultimately, Pakistan has to progress on the vehicle of democracy, internal stability and cohesions, jointness, engagement with neighbours and optimising the endowments of geography, natural resources as well as the enthusiastic, forward looking eager and ambitious youth.

Societal and political integration should take precedence over anything and everything. The best way forward is to constitute a committee representing all political parties to engage the dissenting and angry voices, address their concerns and make them stakeholders in gains and losses of the country. Unless all communities, religions, ethnicities and cultures are aboard, no country can progress. Pakistan needs it the most. More than ever, and more than any other nation of the world. A culture of tolerance, accommodation for difference of opinion and resolving genuine grievances need to be adopted at priority.

Concept of SIFC enshrines whole of the nation approach for resolution of economic wows that our country is ceased with. Dwindling economy, rising energy tariffs, oft-changing business policies, taxation and escalating cost of production that have put our entrepreneurs at a disadvantageous position in the world market, improving agriculture and facilitating FDI are the key areas of its focus. Albeit the SIFC needs to be owned and further strengthened through legislative processes by the government, yet it should be accountable and answerable to the government.

Economy remains our Achilles Heels and a major area of concern. Fiscal policies, ease of doing business and FDI-friendly environment are important. We have thousands of pages guidelines and multiple departments for the purpose, but these are hardly facilitative enablers. Our investment environment scares away the local as well as foreign investors. According to a report Pakistanis have invested $10.6 billion in the UAE in past one year.

Energy cost, capacity payments and circular debit are well-known issues of this sector. Unless drastic and emergent steps are taken to address this issue, we are likely to drown in this quagmire that is a making of our own.

Vision of geo-economy as enshrined in NSP-22 is praiseworthy. But how can it be achieved in the absence of industrialisation further complicated by tenuous relationship with all our neighbours less China? The incoming government has to take major steps, bilateral and multilateral initiatives to resolve all the issues quickly and peacefully. Where needed, regional and greater powers can be involved too! Unless we do this the dream of Pakistan becoming a melting pot of regional trade and connectivity will stay unfulfilled.

In present situation, CPEC is the only project that carries potential to help Pakistan industrialise, develop human resource and undertake technological advancements to become progressive and prosperous. In this regard prioritised operationalisation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) along with best models of business to attract Chines and Western investments is essential. Chinese help can also be taken to empower youth with technological skills and education. Any such help or project from any other country should be welcomed too.

Pakistan has abundant unemployed youth, untapped water resources and untilled land. Harnessing this potential, with technological and scientific yield multipliers could usher a green revolution in the country in next 5 years. Instead of importing food grains, cotton and oil we could become world’s food basket, best fruit and dairy exporter.

Our society is witnessing speedily rising wave of extremism complemented by violent extremism. These mostly thrive on exploiting religious thought and ethnicity. Every day sees a new group, brigade or organisation etc spring up from oblivion transiting to glory riding social media disinformation, misinformation by exploiting public sentiments. Tangible and stringent measures are needed to counter this menace. Religious, tribal and political leaderships have to undertake a proactive role in overcoming this rising menace. Recent example of violent harassment of a lady wearing clothes with ‘Urdu writing in Arabic script taken as ayahs from Quran’ should act as an eye-opener. The illiteracy and unawareness complement this gaudy phenomenon.

Poverty alleviation is one of the serious challenges for the new government. The number of people living below the poverty line has increased over past few years. Instead of making people reliant on aid, more employment opportunities have to be generated through increased economic activity. Operationalisation of CPEC, exploitation of natural resources and improvement in agricultural sector house the potential to lift people from below the poverty line. Chinese experts could be hired to replicate their model of poverty alleviation.

Rule of law easy access to and speedy justice and meritocracy can help mitigate countless sufferings and grievances of the common people.

Blames levied on the state institution for rigging in the elections call for a retrospection, introspection and midcourse corrections. In longer term visible and practical steps to stay out of politics are call of the day.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2024.

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