76th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan: Uncertainty Shrouding the Future of Democracy in Pakistan

Key Highlights :

1. On Independence Day, the heart is sore, the spirit wilting, and the mind under the overwhelming shadow of the uncertainty the future holds.

2. Anwaarul Haq Kakar, for his redoubtable services to the establishment in creating the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), has been appointed caretaker Prime Minister (PM).

3. Criticism of the appointment of a political figure to the role, envisaged as an impartial arbiter of the electoral exercise and day-to-day manager of the business of government, no doubt prompted Kakar to resign from his party and Senate seat.

4. Akhtar Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), has put to rest the argument about the appointment of a caretaker PM from a smaller (in population) province being aimed at placating the grievances of the people of Balochistan by stating in a message to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif (in self-imposed exile by now) that the appointment of Kakar without any consultation with allies has caused dismay and further widened the distance between the BNP-M and PML-N.

5. Mengal goes on to say that the appointment of a man from a rival party to the BNP-M as caretaker PM, which has closed the doors of politics for us, is cause for lamentation at the actions of politicians approaching the establishment for the solution of every problem instead of resolving issues politically.

6. In a prophetic tone whose message is borne out by past experience, Mengal tells Nawaz Sharif that legislation contrary to human rights will probably be used against him in future.

7. A flurry of Bills strengthening the arbitrary powers of security and law enforcement agencies was rammed through parliament in the dying days of former PM Shahbaz Sharif’s government.

8. Last but not least, Mengal laments the fact that the Pak-China Gwadar University was being built in Lahore instead of Balochistan and Gwadar Airport was being named after former (late) PM Feroze Khan Noon whose name most people in Balochistan might not even be aware of.

9. Another dissident voice regarding Kakar has been heard from the Awami National Party’s Aimal Wali Khan, who does not expect Kakar to be a fit candidate to conduct impartial, free and fair elections.

Continue Reading at Source : brecorder