What’s wrong?

Perhaps a lot. Fundamentally, it would be incorrect to claim that nothing is wrong. For the last almost 75 years we have collectively put our nation into a laboratory where every incoming government has experimented with disastrous results, various political and economic systems.

Each experience has been nothing short of a nightmare. We seem to be lost in a maze of our own manufacture where we are unable to find either the direction or the destination.

In the life of a country 75 years is not very long will be argued by those who are responsible for the mess we are in today. That responsibility is squarely on the shoulders of the people of this country. They either through abetment or by callous silence have participated in taking us into the mire of misdeeds of the few select elite of this country.

Nations that acquired independence much later than us are faring well. Most of the enslaved countries of Asia, particularly those of south, south-east and north-east Asia got their independence during the 1950s and 1960s.

How is it that Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea have emerged as newly industrialised countries? Our great friend People’s Republic of China is a dominant economic powerhouse today.

How? The simplest answer is leadership that gave consistency to long-term economic policies. These countries progressed primarily because of correct determination of the direction their leadership gave to their people. The progress has been all round covering politics, economy and social development.

Since independence we are witnessing landslide deterioration. There must be something wrong. This wrong could be for multiple reasons. But that it is seriously wrong somewhere is a fact.

Our politicians have tested Capitalism, Socialism, Islamic Socialism (?) and the mixed economy models since 1947. All bore us less benefits but more loss.

An order, be it politics or economics that isn’t understood is referred to as confusion. During the early part of the decade of the 1950s, we kept pursuing relentlessly the Westminster type of parliamentary democracy, where no government lasted in office for more than two years— in fact one government was in place for less than 4 weeks.

All governments were undone by political intrigues and palace bloodless coups were agreed and arranged by the politicians themselves. “Delusion can itself become an illusion if we rest in it” (T. S. Eliot). Something was wrong then too.

Sickened by the inability of the politicians to glue together a political government acceptable to the people of Pakistan, the Military intervened and imposed the First Martial Law government in 1958. Something was wrong here, too.

The martial law of 1958 lasted till 1968 with aberrations of self-serving amendments to the concept of democracy. The Basic Democracies setup was truly basic, hence was doomed for failure at its initiation. The BD was welcomed by all. There is some gross error here.

To quell widespread revolt of the people, the President, while leaving office, did not as per his enforced and then operating constitution, hand over the reins to the Speaker of the Assembly instead, another martial law was imposed. The people welcomed it. Something unlawful took place here.

Under the second martial law, the first time ever free and fair elections were conducted. Based on adult franchise of one man one vote, it had all the portents of the trouble in the making. With the Agartala case close on the heels, it is baffling that the intelligence couldn’t pick up the seeds of treason emanating from East Pakistan.

With a landslide victory in its pocket, the majority party was denied and prevented from forming a government. The seeds of discord sown during the language riots of 1953 had begun to germinate, and its blossoming was ensured by the neighbouring enemy and the selfish politicians political wrangling.

The worst civil war followed. To bring order out of chaos of Himalayan proportions, an armed action was initiated. Poor choice. The neighbouring enemy took full advantage and made it easy for the country to break up. Pakistan stood dismembered. We lost a war and half the country. For the first time in history, the majority population decided to secede. Something was seriously erroneous here.

A politician (civilian) hoisted himself or was hoisted as Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA). Something unheard in the annals of political history of nations.

That it happened is a reality. It was welcomed. The unlawful was accepted. A highly talented, skilled, experienced with an intellect of unusual brilliance, became the President/ CMLA, and later Prime Minister. He was the hope for what was left of our beloved nation.

He gave the country the first ever unanimously agreed by all political parties a constitution, in 1973. This constitution exists today with amendments made to defang its effectiveness. The doctrine of necessity has been liberally used to make it pliant. Twice, first in 1977 and second time in 1999, it was temporarily abrogated.

The man who was a statesman but who also was extremely poor in economics, messed up the country with his nationalisation of the key industries.

The unbridled capitalism with all its warts and pimples, and some goodness that the country had witnessed during the decade of development (1958-1968) was buried. The famously infamous 22 families departed with their capital. Something was totally mistaken here.

With democracy struggling to find roots in a feudal society, the then opposition demanded fresh elections to bring in a new economic system based on religion that was practiced by the majority of the population.

That was the claim. Ganging up together, the birds of very different feathers flocked together and did not accept the elections — non-acceptance of election results had taken roots, it continues to flourish today too. There is something wrong here.

The man who represented hope to the then youth of Pakistan was deposed in a military coup. Martial law was again imposed. It was welcomed and celebrated. The ousted Prime minister was hung to death on charges of conspiring to kill a political opponent.

One of the judges who sentenced him to death, in later life, publicly, regretted his decision, and said it was a judicial murder. There is something seriously wrong here. Sweets were distributed between people upon his death by hanging. Isn’t it a curious case of what’s wrong?

The most disturbing era was the longest period from 1977 to 1988. The ruthless martial law got international affirmation, thanks to the Soviet Union that senselessly invaded Afghanistan. We got engaged in a war, that wasn’t ours. We continue to pay its price — wrong judgment.

Fate in 1988 designed conditions for return to democracy. The country became the first Islamic Republic to elect a woman Prime minister. That’s was short-lived. She became victim of political intrigue. She was sacked. A hilarious musical chairs was played out with prime ministers coming and going out with speed, resembling the 50s era of uncertainty.

The President, did not matter who the person he was, had taken to use his constitutional rights to dismiss the governments with glee and joy. Doesn’t this give us a view that surely there was something wrong? “No man is above law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we require him to obey it” (Theodore Roosevelt).

The music stopped for good eight years after the imposition of another martial law. This too was welcomed. After a while, in seeking democratic legitimacy, the rulers messed up again. The lady prime minister sadly was assassinated. The military rule ended. The music since 2008 has been playing again. The musical chairs in the capital city is on.

The last prime minister is fighting a battle to prove that he was ousted as a result of a foreign conspiracy. Then a great semantic discussion now ensues, to determine whether it is conspiracy or interference. The former PM despite reminders keeps crossing the red lines. The events of last three months speak for themselves. What you cannot enforce, do not ever demand. So much wrong has been done to the country by so many.

Not acceptable to me as a diehard Pakistani is that we as a nation are no less intelligent than the people of our geographic neighbourhood. The nagging question is, where are our Manmohan Singhs, Lee Kaun Yews, Mahathirs and the like? Isn’t there any amongst us that can give the nation an economic direction? Where are our Tatas, Birlas and the Godrejs, who have made their country, yet lead a life of simplicity? Why do we have show offs in every facet of life? Why the ostentatiousness? Why is decency lacking amongst the educated elite or otherwise, as against the humble labourer and farmer, who works in the factories and farms? Decency and morality do not require legislation. There is something wrong here.

We are at a standstill for the last six months. Political uncertainty is wrecking the economy. The economy is in tatters. Yes, indeed tatters. The few positive economic indicators are meant for political rhetoric; these cannot be used for inducing investment.

A rating agency has changed the country’s economic outlook to negative. Isn’t this wrong to be on this side of the fence? Look at the size of Bangladesh’s economy, a part that broke away from us 50 years back — they have in their kitty $46 billion and here we are struggling at having enough FX resources to pay for 45 days of imports. We are at the mercy of international financial institutions and the multilateral institutions. They dictate. We submit. Isn’t this wrong?

How does one explain the optic of a picture where at the head table at an official banquet, beside the heads of governments of Pakistan and Turkey is seated a young man, declared an absconder, who holds no political office, while our Foreign Minister, who is far more qualified, is made to sit at another table. By which diplomatic norms or protocols can this be acceptable. “Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught” (Honore de Balzac). Vulgarity of purpose does never confer leadership. Why is the middle class missing in the political setup? There is something wrong here.

Before we celebrate the Independence Day in coming August, at least the nation, both its citizens and state institutions, must find common ground, and in a setting of warm camaraderie indulge in serious introspection where they should answer what’s wrong with us? Until this is done, we keep, wondering, what’s wrong? Perhaps a lot.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022