The abnormality of normalcy

A weird silence has descended upon govt, punctuated only by sounds of explosions and hapless shrieks of dying victims.

Till last reports, we did have a government, and a prime minister, in Islamabad. It turns out that the premier has scooted off to Washington and the government seems to have gone into hibernation.

It sounds all so normal. But the abnormality of this normalcy is like a blood-curdling scream with no sound. It’s like the walking-dead roaming the land in slow motion, mouthing nothings while going through the motions of governance. Zombies populate the corridors of power, with unblinking eyes staring at shadows, arms stretched out to grasp opportunities that are slipping away like sand through lifeless fingers.

What happened? What went wrong? Who died and put these guys in charge?

Nawaz Sharif is clearly not a man in a hurry. His men say he wants to take things slow, each step a deliberate one, each decision a well-thought out one, each policy a well-debated one. Fine. Take it slow. Granted that only fools rush in and five years is a long enough time for a government to deliver on its promises. But you only get somewhere when you start off. For starting off, you do not need a year.

So where do we stand on critical issues: energy, privatisation, reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), education, reform of moth-eaten bureaucratic structures — and yes the elephant in the room — terrorism?

The sum total of policies so far comprises pious statements and intentions, advertisements in newspapers and probably a stack full of policy papers spellchecked to perfection. Oh joy.

But there is no joy on the face of Sharif. He wears a perennial brooding expression, reflecting a brooding style of governance by a party which appears to be in constant brood-mode. Sharif’s kitchen cabinet sports long faces and sour expressions, drained of all life, excitement, energy and vigour. It’s a government dulled by its performance and bored with its own existence.

“When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.”

Alas, Sharif can weep for many reasons, just not Alexander’s.

If action has become an alien concept for the Sharif government, the intent for action is even more elusive. Before he does anything, Sharif needs a road map. This road map has then to be shared with citizens to inspire debate, discussion, and perhaps, even a bit of confidence. After all, governance, like justice, should not only be done but also seen to be done. But the sleep-inducing Sharif government prefers to conduct the business of the state behind closed doors, away from prying eyes and wagging tongues. Wrapped in an invisible cloak, the government wants us to believe it is here, there, and somewhere doing something somewhat somehow.

The lion on steroids is now the lion on Lexotanil. What happened to the ‘doer’ image of the Sharifs? What happened to the ‘Men of Action’ who made things happen, who got stuff done, and who barrelled ahead with steely resolve and determination? Where did these guys go? And where did these brooding, sad, morose and sluggish men come from?

“We want to walk the walk, not talk the talk,” says a Noon-er. Really? Here’s a scorecard with an inbuilt snooze-mode: Energy — money thrown, bills cleared, subsidy removed, tariffs skyrocket, circular debt growling again. Privatisation — intent announced, companies listed, process to start soon. Whenever that is. Deadlines? Um, not sure. Broadening the tax net — work in progress. Reforming SOEs — work in progress. Reforming the bureaucracy — mulling in progress. And terrorism — well, what’s the hurry?

A weird silence has descended upon the government, punctuated only by the sounds of explosions and the hapless shrieks of dying victims. Each killing, each massacre makes Sharif brood more and do less. He is numb. He is indecisive. He is shell-shocked. Just like Shakespeare’s Hamlet:

“To be, or not to be, that is the question\ Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer\ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,\ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles\ And by opposing end to them. To die, to sleep, \ No more; and by a sleep to say we end”

Get a life, prime minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2013.

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