Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing arguably the biggest challenge of his Political Career
Civilizational attributes change in accordance with change in mode of thinking through range of stages oriented towards March of peace and security amidd welfare at its core. In fact the march of human beings is visible in golden pages of history who attained the pinnacle of ladder in being adopted to crucial phases ipso facto. But on analytical level the concept needs refurbishment for its application, as far as the track of success to adopt noble ideals for human beings is concerned.there is no doubt in the fact that we have mastered in every field we ventured but logically the result seems contrary to our aspirations for such mastery. “We are living in world of pieces rather than world of peace” said Antonio Guteres ( sec general UN). On seeing the overall conditions of world at present stage of time the statement is no more stereotypical. It seems we are in a world of chaos now. Who aspires for such a state? Nationality or Commonality,is a paradox which demands SIGMUND FREUD for explanation.
Pakistani opposition lawmakers moved a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 28. It was the culmination of political turmoil that has engulfed the country for several weeks. After multiple delays on part of the National Assembly speaker to buy Khan time, the Pakistani Assembly will finally begin deliberations on the motion on March 31. There must be a vote within seven days, leaving Khan with a short window for some last-minute political maneuvering and horse-trading. It is worth considering how he plans to escape what at this point seems like an inevitable fate. Both Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the opposition coalition known as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) recognize that the deciding factor will be Khan’s coalition partners. While both sides have tried to influence these smaller parties to join their ranks, Khan’s position at the head of government has given him more leeway to offer attractive inducements. For example, sources privy to the matter revealed that the PTI government was likely to offer the Ports and Shipping Ministry to coalition partner the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which has seven members in Pakistan’s parliament. In another major development, Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzadar, a man Khan has personally backed, resigned to allow estranged alliance partner Chaudhry Moonis Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim league-Quaid (PML-Q) to take over. The PML-Q holds five seats in Parliament. Khan’s willingness to offer ministries and ministerships in return for votes can indeed win back partners and PTI dissenters. Khan, however, isn’t preparing solely for the no-confidence vote. He is also hedging against an adverse outcome in the short term by getting into campaign mode for a possible snap election. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has hinted at this.
A no-confidence vote shows that a majority of the House does not support the policies of a leader or the governing body. Under Pak’s constitution, a party, or a leader is elected by a majority of the lower house, or national assembly, including of 342 members. Out of this, 172 votes are needed as a majority to be elected. Similarly, 172 votes in a no-confidence vote can oust the prime minister and dissolve the cabinet. The Pakistani opposition parties filed the no-confidence motion in early March. The motion was tabled before the national assembly on Monday. As per the constitution, the assembly has to carry out the vote within three to seven days maximum after the motion has been tabled. If Khan gets 172 or more votes against him, he will lose his position as a prime minister. The Parliament will then hold a vote to elect a new prime minister until a general election is conducted. With the no-confidence motion already tabled, Imran Khan cannot dissolve the assembly and call for fresh elections. If he loses the vote, the opposition will be given a chance to form the government. Imran Khan has ordered all the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators to remain absent from the assembly on the day of no-confidence vote against him. this will lessen the chances of him getting more votes and to mitigate any chance of dissidents secretly supporting the motion to remove him. Earlier, in ways to delay the vote, Khan has moved the Supreme Court for its opinion on the defection. He has also filed a petition in the court seeking lifetime electoral bans. The PTI government was formed with 179 members in the 342-member Assembly. Currently, his government is left with 164 members. On the other hand, the opposition including PML-N, Pakistan People’s Party, MQM, Balochistan Awami Party and smaller parties have a total of 177 members.
Imran Khan and the PTI are fighting back tooth and nail. He has gone on the offensive. The PTI has promised to get a million of his supporters to Islamabad in a show of strength. The Opposition parties, which include both the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan’s People Party dominated by the Bhutto-Zardari family, have vowed a counter march. Mariam Sharif and her cousin Hamza, son of Shehbaz Sharif, will be part of the Opposition march. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was pushed out of office on charges of corruption, was disliked by the army for trying to assert the powers of the civilian democratically elected government. He was replaced by Khan, who was at that point a favourite of the all-powerful Pakistan army. Khan’s troubles began when he fell foul of the army over the appointment of the ISI chief. Though he finally gave in to the army chief’s recommendation, there was an unseemly squabbling which was apparent to all but neither side made any public comments. With the army announcing it would remain neutral, the former cricketer’s fate was sealed. The PTI government has mismanaged the economy, with prices sky-rocketing.
Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri on Sunday dismissed the no-trust motion against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution. Pakistan polity is based on Democratic pattern where people choose the government through universal adult franchise. Not only the central government is framed through people’s choice but the Constitution mandates nip and tuck pattern for states of union as well. Moreover the polity of country is dominated by miniscule national level parties alongside mushrooming growth of regional players. Elections led to change in government and policies. However seldom they lead to change in raison d’etat , which may allow any change over its own. The history remains witness to fact that every time we evolved with new practice and experiment the result came contrary to our expectations. Each of the committee framed till date recommend thorough changes in election system of polity for long drawn dream of socio economic empowerment of common people. To conclude is to remind the saying ” son’s hindsight is father’s foresight” to corner the strategy of debate on electoral reforms for implementation phase at its earliest to say ” to save the country from Western influence”. The promises should be passed on through table of demand supply analysis to critically acclaim the spot of manifesto to curb the evil practice of propoganda and paid news programmes. Let’s hope that politicians of the country will awake from slumber and coordinate efforts to make country free from foreign influence in their internal matters. And the consciousness of political leaders of Pakistan comes to their rescue otherwise disease knows no bounds.
Writer can be reached at mirshahid363@gmail.com
