Love thy politician

Preposterous, what the title suggests. It is the worst thing anyone can say in our country. Those slimy rat-like politicians with their feudal mindset, fake degrees, duplicitous behaviour and utter disregard for anything sensible. How can one even suggest that we regard a politician with anything but contempt? But, the case for a democratically-elected leader needs to be made. There needs to be an appreciation of the fact that being a politician in Pakistan is no mean feat.

It is prudent to remember that democracy in Pakistan has never been given a proper chance to develop. The apathy that politicians have for their constituents is a consequence of the fact that politicians did/do not draw their powers from the people whom they profess to represent. But, with democracy gaining a foothold, we should revise our understanding of politicians/political parties and their important contributions.

First, the PPP. The party of the martyrs. The previous PPP-led government has achieved more than it is given credit for. Agreed, it failed to govern well, but with all the nightmares, scandals and issues, the Zardari-led government did well. It was the first elected government able to complete its full term in office. Its main achievement was in the sphere of constitutional reforms. The passage of the Eighteenth Amendment gave powers to the provinces, reduced the powers of the president and made it a tad more difficult for dictators to abrogate the Constitution.

Next, the PML-N. The party that was overthrown. The Sharifs lead a party known for better governance. They have been rightly criticised for focusing too much on northern Punjab. But, since coming into the centre, the party is playing a key role in national politics. It demonstrated this by taking other political parties on board, especially on the Karachi operation and talks with the Taliban. In governance, it has had some successes. The Metro bus service in Lahore is serving 140,000-150,000 people daily; education policy, especially in Punjab, has shown good progress; positive initial steps have been taken to tackle the energy crisis; and there are talks to boost the economy through trade with China and India. The PML-N is on the right track at the moment, but needs to focus on constitutional and institutional reforms if it wants to make a serious impact.

The PTI: a party with revolutionary fervour. A party, which through its success in the recent elections, has shown that there is an alternative to dynastic politics. The PTI and Imran Khan have managed to activate the middle class and especially the youth. However, what matters now is how the PTI governs a tough province, especially in light of security issues. There have been some successes, for instance, the public service ordinance and the anti-polio campaign. But, all is not well with the government in K-P. The PTI needs to strengthen its governance in K-P and deliver results if it is to mount a serious challenge against the PML-N in the next elections.

It is important to keep in mind that politicians are not magicians who can wave their magic wands and fix everything. Judge them as mere humans who are prone to making mistakes and falter ever so regularly. We, as citizens, have some major duties. Chief amongst them is to hold our politicians accountable and elect responsible leaders. We need to take responsibility for the actions of our politicians, since in the end, it is us they represent, and it is because of us that they are in power.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2014.

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