Pakistan is undergoing a transition, which in itself is a defining moment for the country
‘The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another’ is the definition for the word transition. Through history, societal transition or transition occurring within communities is cognized by the respective community or society and occurs mostly with their consent. However, societal transition is not always cognized by the people, like the one occurring in Pakistan. Today, Pakistan is going through a transition but the surprising element of this transition is the people’s indifference (or obliviousness) to it.
Today Pakistan is between what it was and what it will be, but we hardly realize this. Numerous recent events are leading Pakistan towards a progressive society which has stable and efficient instituitions. The occurrence of these events is the transition, which we’re going through as of now. Below are some of the events and how they’re linked to the transition
The FIA recently caught a person smuggling kilos of gold and numerous pounds abroad, the peculiar feature of this case was the involvement of a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; Toffee Butt. Despite the involvement of Toffee, the FIA is still investigating the case and seems to be making good progress. The fact that this case has not been suspiciously suspended or Toffee mysteriously acquitted shows that even being close to the Prime Minister does not help you if you’ve wronged, which is what we’ve longed to see in Pakistan.
A sitting Minister, from the KPK was arrested on allegations of rigging in the Local Body Elections. Such a headline is seldom made in Pakistan and contrary to Punjab, where a minister, who was sacked for ordering the police to open fire at unarmed civilians, was reinstated because of an investigation which investigated an event for which he was already found culpable. While the contrast of these events does show party practices, what we should look at, to match it with the transition, is that such contrasts will lead to parties portraying themselves as superior to others with practical examples. Concurrently, this race to be depicted as the best party will benefit the country and aid the transition further with even the political parties strengthening practically.
The Local Body Election itself, in KPK, is the first local body election since the democratic governments came to power, which amounts to around 8 years. Apart from the irony, the Chairman of the ruling PTI has proposed reelections either in the constituencies which were contentious or the whole of the province. This furthers the transition in three ways: the reservations of the opposition are not only heard but addressed and chances for a dharna are curtailed, other provinces will try to avoid such a scene and devolution of power is taking place substantially. Not only are these three things new, their long term benefits to the country will be immense.
The formation of the Judicial Commission, upon the insistence of one and support from another party, to probe the 2013 Election which 21 parties called rigged is not only historically unprecedented, but boosts the transition, as by the end of the report, the Judiciary’s vitality will increase and the least this Commission will result in, is the much needed electoral reform. The importance of this Commission is undermined because of the political mudslinging that comes along with it, but the end result will certainly be beneficial for Pakistan and aid the transition.
The mentioned and many other events are testaments of the transition taking place. However, we need to stop the obliviousness to the vitality of this transition and embrace it as a defining moment in the history of Pakistan.
