THE sun has finally set on the year 2023 and we are about to welcome the New Year. The echoes of a very memorable and eventful year resonate throughout our fair land, the Pakistani nation is in desperate need of change for the better. The grim challenges of the year that has passed from economic crisis to religious extremism and violence now demand immediate action and remedial measures by all our political leaders and captains of the govt. in power. Now is the time to make an inventory of what we gained and what we lost and what needs to be done to check our headlong dive into chaos and the downward spiral that we are in. The year that has passed saw Pakistan on a very chaotic and confused political field with nothing but confrontation bitterness and vendettas. There was hardly any decent political activity and the national parliament was mostly dysfunctional and inert. Very few laws were enacted and the opposition remained absent with the govt. party passing legislation with a majority of the members being absent from the house. The most notable event was the arrest of Imran Khan and the unraveling of the PTI ending its inglorious rule of four years. Numerous cases were filed against Imran Khan and the top leadership of the PTI and most legal cases against Nawaz Sharif were dealt with in great hurry and he was absolved of all charges against him. The establishment seems to be in cahoots with the Govt. and this has sent the wrong message regarding the state of democratic values in the country.
Ironically the performance and utterances of our top political leaders in public meetings and television talk shows leaves a lot to be desired. It does not require a lot of political acumen or intelligence to see through their very limited intelligence and political far sight, all they talk about is destroying their political rivals and we never hear any future plans about any new economic schemes or how to improve the political climate in the country. Politics now is a game of intense hostility against political rivals that has drawn away the focus from major reforms, improving security, attracting foreign investment, dealing with the terrorist gangs. All internal and external threats to the country have now become the realm of the military establishment although many of these issues relate to the realm of the civilian elected regime. The question of fresh elections haunted the nation during the tumultuous year of 2023 but with the Supreme Court acting as a factor he final date was eventually decide and the nation heaved a sigh of relief.The first half of 2023 was spent in the tussle between the ruling coalitions of 13 parties the PDM and the PTI of Imran Khan Niazi resulting in deep political fissures and a severe polarization of society. The PDM’s rule of over 16 months left a lot to be desired with nothing to show in the form of good governance except for wielding the largest federal cabinet in the history of the country. Their economic management brought the country to the edge of an economic disaster that was just avoided by the largesse of the Chinese Govt. and a bailout package by the IMF. The cost of living went through the roof and the increase in power bills resulted in howls of protest all over the country. One redeeming feature was that the departing Govt. managed the population census that obliged the Election Commission to carry out a new delimitation of constituencies before the fresh elections and this prevented the polls before the constitutional provision of 90 days period after the dissolution of the National assembly. This resulted in the care taker Govt. getting more time in power but political volatility and economic crisis were the hall marks of the year. Major decisions in the year were taken by the establishment and the Special Investment Facilitation Council was established to facilitate the fast track investment by the oil rich Middle Eastern countries. The security situation deteriorated and there was an increase in the terrorist attacks by the Taliban in the FATA region and KPK. Decision was taken to expel all illegal immigrants specially Afghans. The powerful establishment stopped its support of the PTI regime and on the 9th of May he PTI tigers went on the rampage and vandalized some military installations and properties in revenge for Imran Khan’s allegations that the Military establishment was behind an American conspiracy to topple his Govt. and remove him from power. Imran Khan was arrested and dozens of cases were filed against him. Leaders and supporters of the PTI faced a massive crack down and many of them decided to leave the party and condemned the actions of 9th May. Two new political parties were launched that is the Istehkam-i-Pakistan party by Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan and the PTI Parliamentarians by Pervez Khattack all past PTI stalwarts and supporters of Imran Khan. Nawaz Sharif returned from his long exile abroad and received a hero’s welcome from his supporters along with major relief from the courts of law and is now making a serious bid to become the Prime Minister for the four time.
Apart from the volatile political atmosphere the economy was the most disturbing factor of the year and this is what will decide the fate of the nation in the New Year of 2024 and beyond. During the last year the economy continued to go downhill. Inflation rose dangerously, domestic and foreign debt remained sky high, the rupee depreciated tremendously, Growth was stagnant, exports declined and foreign direct investment remained abysmal along with declining foreign remittances.
But more than politics it was the economy that emerged as the crucial factor to determine the country’s fate and fortunes in 2024 and the years ahead. A slew of negative trends continued through the year — internal and external financial imbalances remained wide, foreign exchange reserves depleted to a fragile level, inflation hit a historic high, domestic and foreign debt reached unsustainable levels, the rupee lost record value against the dollar, growth stagnated, exports fell, overseas remittances declined and foreign direct investment remained dampened. True some fiscal stabilisation has been achieved yet consequential question for the year ahead was whether the election would produce a government committed to comprehensive reforms to address long-standing structural problems that could put the country on a path of sustained economic recovery and growth.
—The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad.
Email: tariq.aqil@headstart.edu.pk
views expressed are writer’s own.
