Editorial: The Express Tribune - 06 June 2013

Third time lucky?

Mian Nawaz Sharif has become the first person to serve a third term as the prime minister of Pakistan and makes history. The constitutional transition of power, too, represents a novelty in our history. All these are, of course, excellent signs. The entire process of the transfer of power has gone ahead remarkably smoothly and this in itself is a huge achievement given our past — and it is now up to Mr Sharif and the PML-N to extract maximum advantage from this, serve the country well and prove that democracy has real value for all of us.

To do this, Mr Sharif, despite the fact that he has a solid, simple majority in parliament — receiving a total of 244 votes in the National Assembly — will need to overcome a number of immediate difficulties. The first among these is possibly the power crisis. It has left our country crippled and our people badly affected by the daily hours of load-shedding. Equally pressing is the matter of drone strikes, which he also addressed in a speech made in parliament, calling for the United States to end its campaign of drone attacks and respect Pakistan’s sovereignty. The economy, too, needs attention — while the relatives of hundreds of missing persons in the country staged a demonstration in Islamabad as voting for the prime minister slot took place to draw attention to their own concerns.
The next five years will be shaped by the degree of success Mr Sharif enjoys in solving, or at least easing, the problems the country faces. Right now, he seems to be committed to the task. Whether this will be enough — time will tell. Beyond commitment, we need well thought-out policies which incorporate all groups in the country so that it can become a more united one. The last five years have proved that governments need to deliver if they are to succeed in office. The PML-N will no doubt have this in mind with Mr Sharif saying that the trust the people have placed in him is an asset for him, as well as his strength. The prime minister has already earned for himself a name in the history books. Other questions regarding, what we hope will be a five-year tenure in power, can only be answered once the task of governance gets underway.
 
Shot in cold blood

In a rather unfortunate incident, Rangers’ officials shot dead a man in Karachi, when he failed to pull his car over despite their signal. DG Rangers has taken notice of the incident and ordered the immediate suspension and detention of the accused individual, while an FIR has been filed, implicating at least five Rangers personnel. A thorough inquiry must be launched and concluded in a timely manner so that justice can be served.
While the violent situation in Karachi demands the presence of Rangers, the heavy-handedness of the authorities, including the Rangers, is not something new. In the past, we have seen how the law-enforcement authorities have manhandled innocent civilians. This is not the first time something like this has happened, case in point being the Sarfaraz Shah case, which was caught on camera. Incidentally, Sarfaraz’s family has now decided to withdraw the case. Visuals of Sarfaraz pleading to the Rangers to let him go at the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Park in Clifton, while they shot him point-blank, cannot be erased from our memories. They are a stark reminder of how, sometimes, our law-enforcement agencies violate the law. Karachi’s security situation is already precarious. Criminals of all sorts roam the city’s streets with impunity and a sense of privilege, yet no action is taken against them. Instead, innocent civilians usually come in the line of fire.
Such actions by law-enforcement agencies do not make the lives of citizens any easier. Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies are meant to protect them, instead of targeting them needlessly. As it is, people feel that the powerful are above the law and they have nowhere to go to redress their grievances. The government must take action against all security officials who make the lives of citizens difficult or take the law in their own hands. Security officials need to be careful with their actions and made accountable for breaking the law. Karachi has seen enough violence of late. It is now time to heal the wounds of its citizens.
  
Champions Trophy hopes


Pakistan’s One-Day International performance has been patchy over the last 12 months — the team has lost more than it has won and the show against Ireland confirmed the presence of cogs that needed heavy oiling. There have also been talks of kinks in the 15-man squad and the dodgy weather looks set to pull the strings but Pakistan start the final edition of the Champions Trophy, which kicks off today and is the only International Cricket Council event they have not won, as worthy contenders. This is not due to form or superior skill-set compared with the opposition but the unpredictability and the sudden — and random — urge to make it happen when it matters. And they can pull off the mightiest of heists on a given day.

The team has stayed clear of controversies ever since Misbahul Haq was appointed captain. He also brought about a calm self-belief, one that has produced unexpected results on the field. However, the English conditions will prove testing for the brittle batting line-up although there exists enough flair to light up the nation’s hopes. Pakistan have a promising top-three even though reliability and consistency are factors missing from there. Later on in the order, Asad Shafiq, Misbah and Shoaib Malik are capable of not only steadying the ship but providing the impetus when needed.

But it is Pakistan’s bowling — Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan — that the nation has rested its hopes in. Young, old, tall, fast, cunning, deceiving and gifted, the bowling line-up is blessed with variety and talent. While experience is lacking in the fast-bowling department, Irfan and Junaid’s show in the last six months has been nothing short of exemplary. What the trio needs though is for vulnerability with the bat to ease off in order to make another semi-final appearance possible. Standing in Pakistan’s way will be West Indies’ Chris Gayle, a South African team that humbled them in the recent Test series and a mouth-watering clash with India on June 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2013.