A protest movement launched by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri in August against rigging in election 2013 and model town tragedy have pushed the already fragile economy toward uncertainty, impeding the local as well as foreign investment in the country. The country is facing energy crisis, poverty and security challenges, but the politics of protest has been jeopardising every sector of the economy for the last four months.
According to Zahid Hussain, former chief of All Karachi Industrial Alliance, political agitation has dealt a blow to the economic activities. He says that industries need urgent steps to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas.
No doubt the people need peace and better economic conditions. But worst is yet to come as PTI Chairman Imran Khan has spelled out a new plan of agitation which he names ‘Plan C’to bring the government to its knees by shutting down the country on December 16. He is demandinginvestigation into rigging charges in the 2013 electionswithin six weeks under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.He alleges that seven million additional ballot papers were printed and were sent to various polling stations, in which 120,000 ballot papers alone were distributed to ensure the victory of Saad Rafique in Lahore. He also alleges that the elections were fixed by Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari to rob the country of its resources and wealth. He says that he had to launch a campaign after exhaustionof all legal options and reiterated his stance that representatives from the ISI, MI and FIA should be part of the investigation team probing the rigging. He also blamed the government for signing agreements with China only to receive kickbacks and commission.
At a time when the nation needs concerted efforts from the political divide for the betterment of the country, it is unfortunate that no side is ready to leave its stance. The country is facing internal security threats and foreign pressures. In this situation, a rapprochement among the politicians is indispensable as polarisation not in the interest of anyone. Protest is a right of the political parties, but it should not affect the economic activities in the country.
