KPK’s Governance: Tsunami Or Drizzle?

With Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf holding the centre stage in KPK’s power politics, its probability to lead the next provincial government had resulted in mixed sentiments among experts.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) passed through a lot of alterations within its ranks, as the 90-day target set by the party to bring ‘change’ in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has ended long ago. Observably and PTI & all PTI supporters have complained a lot when things didn’t go their way and this goes for polls, bi elections, anchor persons who do not agree with IK, weather etc etc. Even after months in government, PTI government has not shown much focus and seriousness to provide relief to the people of KPK. In an unbiased approach there have been numerous incidents that have indicated that direction of PTI government is totally wrong i.e. government has no focus, vision and plan in any of the key sectors. Their competitors can clearly sense weakness of PTI government. It is totally unfocused, confused and disoriented. Then there has been no change in head of departments, secretaries, directors of many of the government departments. Commission and nepotism continues as result of PTI in-action. Moreover no independent audit of government departments, no action against corruption and mismanagement has been witnessed so far.

Talking about Imran Khan’s claims and principles they are being clearly violated. ‘Dual Office Performance’ (expression used by an anonymous blogger) Imran Khan’s stance on dual leadership and party’s constitution in KPK is being violated, while Imran Khan is trying to defend KPK leadership, contrary to stated position, Pervaiz Khattak had to shift to a wing of CM house, KPK CM, Mr. Pervaiz Khattak used helicopter to reach walima reception in Abbottabad (abolishment of protocol? Not to be seen). Lastly KPK government has nominated large number of advisors with same pay/privileges as ministers. Moreover among 35-member PTI provincial parliamentary party, there are a handful of members, who have governance experience. They included Pervez Khattak as the party’s parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly elect, who has served as the provincial minister more than once.

IK vowed that an ideal government would be formed within few days but even its economic plans are disappointing. They were full of clichés and wishes, and quite similar to plans of the PPP, the PML-N and the regime of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. The heroic claims on employment, growth, reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), investment, circular debt and deficit reductions, exports, appeared to have been drafted by someone who does not have a good grasp of basic economic issues. The proposed plans were flawed, timid and not credible. Its key instructions have been tried before for two decades, with not much than little success. There is absolutely no credible ‘how to’ on raising taxes, improving expenditure management, reducing fiscal deficits, increasing exports or resolving the energy (and the imminent water) crisis. The fantastic-sounding assumptions about raising investment ratios are without any basis, and proposals to tap mineral resources ignore the ground reality and the reduction of foreign direct investment in this sector. We have recently witnessed the tragedy ofPeshawar blast atleast ANP ministers used to go to the funerals of the bomblasts victims but PTI hasn’t given a single thought to it. Furthermore ANP had numerous ministers’s sacrifices i.e. Bashir Balor son of Iftikhar Ahmed.

The PTI’s proposed plans will not change the status quo and it would not be wrong to say that they are more of a ‘mist’ and less of the ‘tsunami’ that the party kept talking about. Claims about doing better than others are not credible at all because they have no basis in reality. Deluxe and gleaming power point presentations are not alternate for real reforms. For the PTI to deliver on its promise of change, it will have to be bolder in its reform program and abandon obsolete ‘tried and failed’ solutions