Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised to turn Pakistan into a welfare state but did not honour any of his promises, turning the country into an exact opposite of what he had pledged, writes Justice Markandey Katju.
In his speeches during his election campaign, Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised that if his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power, he would establish 'Riyasat-e-Madina' in Pakistan.
He is now in power, but his promise remains unfulfilled. Here is his so-called Riyasat-e-Madina":
(1) Imran said he would shoot himself rather than take loans. But his government has, in one year, borrowed 16 billion dollars of loan from the IMF, which is a record since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, and which has made Pakistan more indebted than it has ever been before.
(2) He said he would create 10 million jobs. But unemployment and layoffs are at a record high. Millions of jobs in Pakistan have been lost since he came to power.
3) He said he will build 5 million houses. But not one has been built, and many existing houses have collapsed.
4) He said the prices of food, electricity, fuel etc. will go down, but they have skyrocketed
5) He promised an end to corruption, but since he gave his party's tickets to dubious 'electables', which was evidently a gimmick, corruption continued in Pakistan.
6) He promised that the economy will improve, but in fact, it is sinking, one reason being his sacking of Atif Mian, the internationally renowned economist from the Pakistan Economic Advisory Council only because he was an Ahmadi. The rupee has lost 35 percent of its value in one year.
7) He promised democratic freedom in Pakistan, but he has suppressed freedom of speech and of the media. Many political opponents e.g. Nawaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah were imprisoned during his term.
8) He has given all kinds of economic concessions to the Chinese, who are today an imperialist power hungrily seeking markets and raw material. The Baloch feel that the province's natural wealth i.e. gold, copper, oil, gas etc. have been handed over in a platter to the Chinese. The armed unit of Baloch insurgents recently attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange.
9) He promised first class schools and hospitals for the people of Pakistan, but where are they?
10 By 'Riyasat-e-Madina', perhaps Imran Khan meant a welfare state. Is it a welfare state he has created? Is this the 'Naya Pakistan' he spoke of?
So it is time now for Pakistanis to ask Imran Khan (known for his U-turns) to explain what he meant by the Riyasat-e-Madina, which he had promised? Isn't what he has created the complete opposite?
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of NayaDaur Media
In his speeches during his election campaign, Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised that if his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power, he would establish 'Riyasat-e-Madina' in Pakistan.
He is now in power, but his promise remains unfulfilled. Here is his so-called Riyasat-e-Madina":
(1) Imran said he would shoot himself rather than take loans. But his government has, in one year, borrowed 16 billion dollars of loan from the IMF, which is a record since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, and which has made Pakistan more indebted than it has ever been before.
(2) He said he would create 10 million jobs. But unemployment and layoffs are at a record high. Millions of jobs in Pakistan have been lost since he came to power.
3) He said he will build 5 million houses. But not one has been built, and many existing houses have collapsed.
4) He said the prices of food, electricity, fuel etc. will go down, but they have skyrocketed
5) He promised an end to corruption, but since he gave his party's tickets to dubious 'electables', which was evidently a gimmick, corruption continued in Pakistan.
6) He promised that the economy will improve, but in fact, it is sinking, one reason being his sacking of Atif Mian, the internationally renowned economist from the Pakistan Economic Advisory Council only because he was an Ahmadi. The rupee has lost 35 percent of its value in one year.
7) He promised democratic freedom in Pakistan, but he has suppressed freedom of speech and of the media. Many political opponents e.g. Nawaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah were imprisoned during his term.
8) He has given all kinds of economic concessions to the Chinese, who are today an imperialist power hungrily seeking markets and raw material. The Baloch feel that the province's natural wealth i.e. gold, copper, oil, gas etc. have been handed over in a platter to the Chinese. The armed unit of Baloch insurgents recently attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange.
9) He promised first class schools and hospitals for the people of Pakistan, but where are they?
10 By 'Riyasat-e-Madina', perhaps Imran Khan meant a welfare state. Is it a welfare state he has created? Is this the 'Naya Pakistan' he spoke of?
So it is time now for Pakistanis to ask Imran Khan (known for his U-turns) to explain what he meant by the Riyasat-e-Madina, which he had promised? Isn't what he has created the complete opposite?
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of NayaDaur Media