The recent political developments have shown how weak are the roots of democracy in Pakistan. It has been proved that Pak still remains a country where anarchy prevails and there is no respect for democratic norms in this country. Politicians make a mockery of Parliament and want to grab power by any means. There are no political procedures and no respect for the law of the land. They always want support of some external country to meet their political ends.
If we take back our views to what all happened in last few months in the political arena of Pakistan; then the whole picture will become clear. Pakistan was having a coalition government lead by Imran Khan with Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf party as the leading coalition partner. The opposition always said that Pakistan Army selected him to be the Prime Minister through rigging in the elections. However, he continued to be PM for nearly four years with political backing of the Army. Recently, major opposition leaders namely Shahbaz Sharif (PML-N), Asif Zardari (PPP) and Fazlur Rahman (JUI) got together and moved no confidence motion in Parliament against the ruling coalition. The opposition blamed the ruling coalition’s inability to control inflation, unemployment, food scarcity, radical terrorism etc. The ruling party alleged opposition leaders’ involvement in corruption.
Imran Khan asked his supporters to come out on the streets and protest against the opposition while the opposition leaders instigated their supporters to do the same. Thus, a state of nation vide anarchy was created. Army remained a neutral observe since it was no longer able to carry the political incompetence of the ruling coalition any further. The sitting PM, Imran Khan wanted to avoid the no confidence motion at any cost since some of his alliance partners had already sided with the opposition. Before voting on the motion; the deputy speaker of the house; turned down the no confidence motion and the president of the country dissolved the house. The PM was not present in the house during the entire proceeding and he was sitting with the president. The opposition later on went to the supreme court and the court ordered for getting the voting done by 10 am on 09th April. But till late night the voting was not done. It is reported that later on the voting on No confidence motion was done due to intervention by Army. There were 174 votes against the ruling coalition which ultimately amounted to the motion being successful and the ruling coalition was ousted.
Imran Khan has alleged that his government was toppled due to American interference. Chinese have been a silent spectator in this entire political drama since their political cum commercial interests have been met in form of CPEC being completed. Pak PM had gone to Russia looking for political support a day prior to beginning of Ukraine war. No PM of Pakistan has been able to complete his/her tenure in Pakistan whereas Imran has been the first PM to have lost the government due to no confidence motion. The outgoing PM has refused to accept the winning opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif as the next PM.
Democracy is known for accepting political defeat with grace. It is a political set up in which no confidence motion is accepted with dignity and voting is conducted to clear the political uncertainty. The government moves on the political power of the parties derived from the people. Foreign interference has got no role in the business of sovereign countries. However, all these have lost relevance in case of Pakistan and mockery of democratic norms has been made. Let us hope that the good sense prevails and we see a stable government in the neighborhood.
