Power struggles without public purpose

Lost in the noise of politics and intensity of power tussles today is any serious focus on the issues that are critical to Pakistan’s future.

In the political confrontation raging today, the preoccupation of political leaders is with outmanoeuvring opponents, not explaining how they propose to solve national problems or what their parties stand for. This at a time when the country’s multiple challenges are crying out for solutions and answers. Above all, a polarised environment marked by constant exchange of toxic rhetoric makes it impossible to evolve much needed consensus on key national issues. It also creates an atmosphere inimical to the generation of new ideas.

The political discourse today consists predominantly of bitter invective and aggressive rhetoric along with unceasing efforts by political leaders to denigrate opponents. Instead of debating public policy, much of the political conversation involves diatribes and allegations of malfeasance and venality hurled by political leaders against one another. This has spawned a form of issue-less politics, where instead of the country’s challenges being seriously discussed, political narratives are reduced to deriding rivals. Perhaps because parties no longer have any programmes, shallow narratives dominate politics. No political party has offered a credible vision of the country’s future, much less outlined a strategy to reach that destination.

Take, for example, the response of both government and opposition figures to the two key challenges faced by Pakistan today an unprecedented economic crisis and the security threat from the renewed surge of militant violence. On the first, public exchanges have taken the form of who is responsible for pushing the economy into the critical ward. In other words, a blame game has been underway rather than an informed discussion of what Pakistan needs to do to salvage the economy on an enduring basis.