Pakistan went to polls yesterday amidst threats of
widespread violence, murders and kidnappings across the country by the militant
outfit Tehrek-E-Taliban. The voters defied the threats and exercised their
franchise with unprecedented enthusiasm. On completion of polling, counting of
votes began to the 272-member Pakistan National Assembly. It was the first time
in the history of Pakistan, a National election was held under a civilian
dispensation. As expected by the political experts and observers Pakistan
Muslim League (Nawaz) led by Nawaz Sherif, established a comfortable lead over
the other two main rivals Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) led by Asif Ali Sardari
and cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Tehreek-E-Insaf with both of them
locked in a neck-to-neck race for the second position in the National Assembly.
Anti-incumbency factor contributed a lot to Pakistan Peoples
Party’s poor performance in the elections. Ranging from wide-spread violence
let loose by militant outfits, rampant corruption, frequent black-outs,
unemployment, sense of insecurity – a number of reasons are cited for the exit
of the Pakistan People’s Party led govt from power. His govt’s open
confrontation with the judiciary too played a significant role in its defeat at
the hands of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) led by Nawaz Sherif.
For Nawaz Sherif it is a god-send opportunity to lift the
nation from the morass it finds itself in by initiating several measures and
the most important one being forceful handling of the hardcore militant units
with an iron fist and establish a peaceful law and order situation across the
nation. Most of us are aware of the sad fact that it is easier said than done.
Anyhow by leading a people –friendly govt and with courage and determination he
could bring a qualitative change in the long run if not soon. While Retd
(General) Pervez Musharraf was in the saddle, he instead of rooting out the
menace, covertly contributed to their growth by providing funds and logistical
equipments. The authoritarian President of Pakistan’s motive was to bring India
to its knees raking up the ‘core-issue’ of Jammu & Kashmir. General Musharaf
instead of rooting out the menace from the soil of Pakistan actually nurtured
the militant outfits by helping them sneak into India from across the border
under the cover of darkness and extolled them as “freedom fighters”. In the
course of time Musharraf found himself in a catch-22 position when the same
militant outfits evolved into Frankenstein monsters and turned against him. The
Pakistan Peoples Party which came into power had to inherit his legacy found itself
in a piquant situation with the militants ruling the roost. Now the Ex-General
after years of self-imposed exile in London and Dubai finds himself imprisoned
under the orders of the Court with which he did have a policy of confrontation.
The first and formost thing towards the betterment of his
country Nawaz Sherif need to have to strive hard to root out the evil of
hard-core militant outfits otherwise he too will have to follow in the
footsteps of Pakistan Peoples’ Party govt. Radical steps should have to be
ushered in, the earlier, the better.
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