Pakistan: Hurtling from one crisis to another

Pakistan's Constitution Day witnessed tumultuous developments in the country's history, with its Prime Minister, Imran Khan Niazi, getting ousted from power. Imran Khan had promised a 'dramatic' end to the efforts of the united opposition in the country in ousting him. His trump card turned out to be blaming the US for his exit. There were no buyers anyway and the inevitable happened.

By all means, Imran Khan had lost the confidence of the people. The problem confronting Pakistan was not Imran alone. Imran for that matter came to be in power, thanks to Pakistan's Army and the ISI. So, he had to go whenever they signalled. The problems that Pakistan faces are of its own making. Ruler after ruler looted Pakistan only to be hanged, killed or forced to flee the country. Even we have corruption. Our corruption too is widespread, but there are some checks and balances due to public vigil or the nature of our democracy. But, in Pakistan corruption is the rule, not an exception. The rulers are corrupt there. The Army is corrupt there. The ISI is corrupt there. The police too are no less. That is the tragedy.

Similar problems have dragged Sri Lankans into an abyss of dark future now. When the rulers themselves barter away a country's interests and the people are not sure that the international loans borrowed go into a few pockets but not used for the country's benefit, such a tragic situation is bound to happen. Pakistan is a nuclear armed nation with the world's second-largest Muslim population. It has always struggled with its uncertainty and military coups since its birth 75 years ago. The end of Khan's rule came after his lawmakers walked out of the National Assembly hall. There would be no cheer for Pakistanis at the development. Not yet. The country is facing its worst financial crisis. Its neck is being wrung by the Financial Action Task Force's conditions. Pakistani rulers always relied upon nationalistic and religious jingoism. Or else, Kashmir is always there for them to rouse the pent-up emotions of people.

In 2018, Imran Khan uprooted the two established political dynasties – the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) that were dominating the political scene for decades. He was a charismatic cricketer with social media presence and gave an anti-corruption call to attract the voters. He promised a 'Naya Pakistan'. Above all, he had the blessings of the Army. Khan did the unthinkable in the end - attempting to remove Pakistani Army chief, Gen Qamar Bajwa - to cling on to power. And he failed. He was in power all these years, as Pakistani's know, because the Army retained him.

Imran Khan has left behind a huge mess and there is little hope for the Pakistanis that they don't go the Sri Lankan way. Chinese debt is mounting. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is doddering. Americans have dumped it after leaving Afghanistan. Its rupee value is plummeting and inflation is too high in the country. Internationally, the country does not have friends either. It's going to be a long and lonely fight for it.