STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
Flying saucers are imaginary objects in futuristic spacefictions. One has been launched by our shifty Prime Minister in Pakistan naming it “Uraan Pakistan” translates “Take-off and flight of Pakistan”. We saw the same rodeo a while back when General Asim and PM Sharif launched “SIFC Pakistan” a platform with much fanfare. All the goals and objectives are laudable but there is complete disconnect between them and the realities prevailing in our country.
Punjabi saying “jhoot dey pair nahi hunday” translates “lies have no legs”. Sharifs got away with such imagined pipe-dreams in the eighties and nineties for two reasons. They were credible, Pakistanis believed in them and they were masters of propaganda through a controlled press. That does not exist anymore. In this age of social media that has heightened awareness of the masses, such baseless assertions are debunked within hours. Sharifs through their own self-serving agendas have lost all respect. In fact, they are reviled for being so corrupt, incompetent and as touts of ambitious generals.
The comparison between the moral compass and economic performance of Sharifs, Zardaris and MQM versus Imran Khan is like comparing day and night. Here are a few examples. “Uraan” program visualizes a GDP growth rate of 6% per annum when it actually stands at below 1%. PTI had actually achieved 6.2% in their last year in power. PM Sharif’s “Uraan” envisages exports rising to $60 billion when in reality they have declined by more than $10 billion from their highest level of $31Bachieved under IK. The list goes on. Falsehoods upon falsehoods.
Pakistan has suffered the worst period in its history, barring the 1971 debacle, since the removal of PTI Government. The economy is in free fall and political instability has sky rocketed. Terrorism has raised its ugly head in a big way because intelligence agencies are pre-occupied in demolishing PTI. The populace led by 60% youth is disgruntled, angry and fed-up. What the nation is experiencing now did not happen overnight. It is a culmination of misdeeds committed by Sharifs and Zardari over decades. It all came to a head through the greed of ambitious generals presenting this incompetent and corrupt lot as their political façade.
Without listing details of highway robberies committed by these looters, an example about power sector will suffice. It started with 1st tenure of Benazir government. Rather than harnessing our vast hydel resources, public-private partnerships were initiated to generate power based on imported fuels. Dams take forever with limited scope of kickbacks; this was a quick fix for lining their pockets. Uncreative Nawaz latched onto this concept and took it new heights when he took over in 2013. He unleashed a barrage of new projects to family and business associates providing sovereign guarantees for capacity payments. The producers get paid for production capacity whether they supply power or not.
The net result is 33 families own 70 units. On an average they use only 33% capacity yet get paid for 100%. 67% is dished out as freebies. Part of which I am certain find their way to the unsatiated wells of Sharifs. The last payment to these guys were Rs986 billion. It is the public that ultimately pay the price. Economists have determined that the actual production cost is Rs 12 per unit; the consumers pay minimum Rs 60 per unit. For every unit consumed, they pay for three extra units to feed the furnace of greed created by Sharifs.
Sharifs and Zardaris are not there to serve Pakistan. They have weaseled their way to power to loot and plunder. Currently they are borrowing Rs11 billion to meet current account deficits every day from any source that bites; irrespective of cost of funds. In this mayhem of plunder, they have resorted to selling the family silver. Riko Dek is being sold to the Saudis at 5 to 10% of its actual value of assets. They are killing exports by making industries unviable through atrocious energy prices.
Through all their shenanigans the chickens are coming home to roost. Pakistan is increasingly an unviable and undesirable State. All this got accelerated in April 2022 through the regime change by conniving General Bajwa with the blessings of President Biden. The cipher conveying Donald Lu’s message is an indestructible piece of evidence. The doddering old man in Oval Office got convinced that IK is evil. The most powerful man in the world turned a deaf ear to most gruesome atrocities meted out to Pakistanis under Bajwa. They multiplied under General Asim. It’s a reality that when the all-powerful US President shifts his focus, all the proponents of human rights go into a deadly silence.
Victory of President Trump is likely to end that drought. Donald Trump himself suffered under the onslaught of Establishment. I am certain he is sensitized to what it entails. Overseas Pakistanis have highlighted the suffering of IK and PTI. They made a sterling choice of throwing their weight behind Trump causing Biden backed Kamala to lose in some swing states. It has opened some pathways to bring attention to gruesome facts for the incoming administration. This coupled with multi-party backed resolution 901 in US Congress has brought to the fore Richard Grenell’s much loved and oft repeated “Free Imran Khan”. It has panicked Pak Establishment to reach a resolution with IK. Will he give an NRO to the Generals is yet to be seen.
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