The Quest for Political Stability in Pakistan.

Byline: Umais Ahmed

P akistan's ongoing quest for political stability necessitates implementing effective measures within the system to disrupt the continuous cycle of political turmoil and polarization. The nation finds itself once again entangled in the intricacies of domestic politics, a pattern that has persisted throughout its history. Even from its inception under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah to the removal of PTI chief Imran Khan, achieving political stability in Pakistan has remained elusive for the past 75 years. Recent events, such as the arrest of Imran Khan, have further exacerbated the political landscape. Regrettably, instead of focusing on restoring order, our leaders are engaged in retaliatory politics, rendering the pursuit of political stability in Pakistan akin to pursuing an illusionary prospect. Pakistan's quest for survival, marred from birth, has been marked by intrigue and uncertainty.

Throughout its political history, Pakistan's democratic system has experienced fluctuations between civilian and military governments, primarily due to political instability, corruption, terrorism, and civil-military conflicts. These challenges have resulted in multiple martial laws in the country's history. Democracy in Pakistan has never functioned effectively, with no elected government completing its full tenure in history. From 1947 to 1958, seven Prime Ministers of Pakistan either resigned or were ousted, ultimately leading to a military takeover. Following the tragic separation of East and West Pakistan, popular leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto refused to accept the results of the 1970 general elections. Although Bhutto's tenure brought some political stability, it was short-lived and ended in 1977. The pursuit for political stability persisted, with Pakistan consistently performing weakly in the Political Stability Index according to data from the World Bank.

The average value for Pakistan from 1996 to 2021 was -2.09 points, indicating a weak performance in the index. In the 2021 Political Stability Index, Pakistan ranked 181 out of 194 countries, with a score of -1.67. It is worth noting that these statistics may have further deteriorated following the ouster of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The perpetual cycle of political instability persists, and its exacerbation is likely with the arrest of Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI. Consequently, this development has incited a surge of public anger, intensifying the existing...