PPP's Five Year Tenure Accomplished

Democracy has remained a tough challenge for Pakistan since its birth. Every time the elected government has been able to acquire the powers yet failed to complete its tenure as it was seized by the military forces four times. However, first time of history, a democratically elected government was able to complete its tenure of five years. That is an achievement but this alone is not enough, let’s see how successful have the government been.

The major problems that were highlighted by this government included

·         Fuel crisis

The prices of CNG, petrol and high speed diesel were increased to sky-high. The prices of CNG were increased from Rs.37 per kg to Rs.80.94 per kg. Currently, it has been decreased to 65.78 per kg with the availability for only 3 days from Friday to Monday morning. The prices of petrol have rose to Rs.97.10 in August 2012 which was Rs.62.81 per litre in April 2008. Currently, it is recorded to be Rs. 103.6. Prices of High Speed Diesel surged from Rs 44.13 per litre to Rs. 160.60. While, today it is available for Rs. 113.56 per litre.

·         Commodity crisis

The prices of the consumer goods also increased. The food items that were available at lower prices rose so much that a person belonging to lower-middle class could not afford it.  The price of flour (atta) increased from Rs.16 to 40-45 per kg, Basmati (Premium quality) from Rs. 90 to Rs. 100-105 per kg averagely, poultry from Rs. 112 to Rs. 190-200 per kg and beef (with bones) from Rs. 170 to Rs. 260-280 per kg, so on and so forth. Not only this, the prices of pulses, fruits and vegetables also increased rapidly with the passing days.

·         Law and order

The PPP government failed to maintain the law and order, out of all the things they have successfully failed to manage let’s just discuss the law and order in Karachi and Baluchistan. Over the last five years, above 9000 people were killed in Karachi under MQM/PPP and all government could do was appoint an interior minister to sign up a flier program to travel to and fro from Karachi to London “making peace” . In case of Baluchistan, a package was designed for the loyalists. The PPP government they didn’t even let their CM (CM Raisani) to stay in Quetta longer than a week every month and likewise, the package that was formulated never left Islamabad and get to Quetta.

·         Security issues

Pakistan has been fighting a war of terror on the borders ever since its birth. Not only this, the target killings and sectarian killings that were two different things are now one of the same things. Sectarian killings took place not only in Karachi but also in Baluchistan, also not to forget the Shia massacres. And unfortunately, the government turned a deaf ear to it as nothing is done to help end it except for passing an anti-terrorism bill which was not implemented.

The PPP`s tenure has not been all about sunshine and butterflies. However, five year tenure is too short to correct problems that having been coming along all these years after the independence.

By Maham Tariq