It is almost a year now since the ousting of PTI’s government through a vote of no confidence. Since then, the country’s entire system has ceased to function. The alliance of PPP, PML (N), JUI (F), and other political parties is facing serious criticism from the general public and it’s a popular opinion that the PDM government led by PML (N) is unable to deliver on their promises. Pakistan, in its history, has never faced such a crisis. The National assembly is operating without opposition and without full strength; thus the National Assembly is incomplete. The public is losing faith in the government and the country’s institutions. At the moment, the PTI-led protests and resistance against the current system is getting strong and Mr. Imran Khan’s popularity is at an all-time high. Inflation is also at an all-time high and people are struggling to fulfill their most basic needs. Prices of basic necessities are going up on a bi-weekly basis and the foreign reserves of Pakistan are at an all-time low. The depletion of foreign reserves has crippled the country’s economy as most of the businesses have shut down due to the unavailability of raw materials and the high cost of production, raising the country’s unemployment level. It has become increasingly difficult for the average Pakistani to survive giving rise to the crime rate. At this point of time, PTI is demanding free and fair elections whereas the government is not agreeing to this demand. The deadlock is causing the country’s situation to worsen and is giving rise to uncertainty. As the temperature’s high on both sides the situation is escalating quickly and both sides are resorting to drastic measures. Due to the unprecedented criticism and extreme form of resistance from PTI, the government is resorting to dangerous measures including police brutality and the use of unusual brutal force. Currently, it is becoming increasingly difficult to exercise the basic right of ‘freedom of speech’ as the government and the establishment has reached their limits. This political crisis has exposed the ugly state of affairs in Pakistan due to which the system is facing strong resistance from the general public. In the current situation, a clear line has been drawn and there is a clear divide in society. Every institution is divided at the moment whether it is the media, judiciary, lawyers, or the general public, and accordingly to some, even the institutions are divided. This is a serious situation that is threatening the existence of Pakistan. The Judiciary tried to intervene to control the situation and provided many chances to the political forces to reach an agreement for the betterment of the country but the deadlock remains and now even the Judiciary is dragged in controversy. The Chief Justice of Pakistan and other senior judges are being criticized for their constitutional verdict to hold elections by April 30, 2023, but the government led by PML (N) has expressed its concerns and has accused the Chief Justice of being biased against the government. The government’s most recent measure to restrict the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan has caused uproar in the legal community and is leading to a dangerous conflict. At this time the two evident political powers are failing to contain the country’s crisis and it seems that this may give way to the rise of a third power that may not suit any of the political players. The political unrest has added severe pressure to the already struggling economy of Pakistan and the major stakeholders need to take drastic measures to contain this explosive situation otherwise it might get too late for them.
© Monthly Interaction