TankMan
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I came across some interesting articles here,
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052293
PML-N’s financial wizardry - Sayem Z Ali
I'm going to be quoting specific parts of these articles here but they're both worth a complete read. This post is meant to explain my, and many, many Pakistanis' point of view, put things in a little perspective and reply to those who wonder that why, despite the apparent failure of the protests and PTI, I continue to oppose the PMLN government.
Pakistan has problems, everybody knows that. But truly understanding what these problems are is a different matter entirely. While gossip and conspiracy theories are really popular among people, the average Pakistani has a vague idea about the politics, the underlying issues behind their problems. What they do see, however, are the 'symptoms'. This makes the people, the masses, really gullible.
On the other hand, we have people who do not understand the plight of the Pakistani people yet believe that they understand the politics. People living in posh areas, or the expatriates spectating from abroad. They may wonder why, despite all the investments and mega-projects and whatnot the current PMLN government has been making, is Pakistan's situation deteriorating? They will also then wonder why people are protesting against the government, surely it is these protests and political unrest that is responsible for the deterioration? Others will be quick to blame the Army for meddling with civilian affairs and 'sabotaging democracy'.
The truth is very different. In order to actually understand the situation, we must see both of the points of view and combine them in an honest analysis.
PMLN, for example, has always made projects, policies and the like to show how much work they are doing. But anyone who has lived in Punjab, their favorite province, can tell how full of lies they are. An outsider may see the 'investments', 'economic reforms', mega projects and schemes and think that Nawaz Sharif is very good. Similarly, An average, relatively uninformed Pakistani will see things like the protests and blame them for undermining Nawaz's efforts.
The truth is that these PR projects do nothing to actually help Pakistanis. On one hand we have them handing out laptops (not to mention all the fraud in this) and on the other we have schools without books or a roof. Then we have mega projects like the Metro Bus (again, not counting the fact that NS benefits from these through his steel mills and other businesses) while Lahore doesn't have a proper sewage and drainage system. PMLN had more than enough time in Punjab to at least fix this. No developed province (or at least a city like Lahore) should flood every time it rains.
The 'prescriptions and symptoms' analogy the author is is using here is perfect when we look at Pakistani healthcare. If you go to a clinic, in most places of Pakistan, you'll find 'doctors' giving patients strong drips and injections for small things like a cough or fever. Now what this does is that it convinces poor, uneducated people that they are being given proper treatment and they happily fork out their hard-earned cash. Their symptoms stop, but after a while, thanks to the underlying issue being ignored, their symptoms return, worse than before.
That is precisely the strategy NS uses in Pakistan. Just replace 'injections and drips' with mega-projects and 'patients' with the public and you get an honest analysis of PMLN's performance.
The point about 'on paper' is further backed by the fact that while PMLN boasted a lot about their economic success, the actual facts were stating the contrary, like this author says here:
In Punjab around 2009, where PMLN ruled during the previous term, we used to hear things like 'loadshedding will finish by 2012'. In 2012, sitting in the dark and reading a newspaper with a candle, I read that the metro bus project started, all while we had no electricity for upto 18 hours a day. PMLN ruled for a long time and all they did was PR.
With the metro bus, one might argue of its importance or effect but the truth is it cost a lot more than it should have. And this cost is not counting the fact that they demolished countless shops and businesses to make room for it. I was in Lahore and I witnessed shops, bakeries and mosques being demolished. People complained about not getting proper compensation (in some cases, they didn't get any. They're probably still desperately wandering around in courts).
Surprisingly, very less media reported this.
All I found was this:
What price the Azadi | TNS - The News on Sunday
And lets not forget the long-term problems caused by the project:
Is Metro Bus a success story?
What about the cost of maintaining it and running it? What about the practicality of allocating so many resources to it while Pakistan suffers from so many other pertinent issues? It seems like PMLN has left behind a perfect trap for whoever comes in power after them - they will be blamed for the eventual deterioration and ultimately, failure, of the Metro Bus project.
At the end of the day, politicians like Nawaz Sharif will only do things that would directly benefit them. Their disregard for the general population is evident when we factor in things like the Model Town incident, where innocent people were injured because of politicians trying to intimidate their opposition.
PTI may not be the panacea for Pakistan's problems and Imran Khan may not be the messiah. But at the very least, it's a little hope in the form of a new party with new ideals.
I don't oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am a blind follower of IK. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am misinformed or a 'burger'. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I want military rule. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I hate democracy.
I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I'm sick of being lied to. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am sick of listening to false promises. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because he's had enough chances. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I want a proper democracy, where leaders are actually accountable and where people's votes can be accounted for.
Sorry for the really long post but there's too much to be said.
People are welcome to discuss, dissect and criticize, just please keep it civil.
@Leader @Norwegian @Jazzbot @orangzaib @Akheilos @FaujHistorian
http://www.dawn.com/news/1052293
PML-N’s financial wizardry - Sayem Z Ali
I'm going to be quoting specific parts of these articles here but they're both worth a complete read. This post is meant to explain my, and many, many Pakistanis' point of view, put things in a little perspective and reply to those who wonder that why, despite the apparent failure of the protests and PTI, I continue to oppose the PMLN government.
Pakistan has problems, everybody knows that. But truly understanding what these problems are is a different matter entirely. While gossip and conspiracy theories are really popular among people, the average Pakistani has a vague idea about the politics, the underlying issues behind their problems. What they do see, however, are the 'symptoms'. This makes the people, the masses, really gullible.
On the other hand, we have people who do not understand the plight of the Pakistani people yet believe that they understand the politics. People living in posh areas, or the expatriates spectating from abroad. They may wonder why, despite all the investments and mega-projects and whatnot the current PMLN government has been making, is Pakistan's situation deteriorating? They will also then wonder why people are protesting against the government, surely it is these protests and political unrest that is responsible for the deterioration? Others will be quick to blame the Army for meddling with civilian affairs and 'sabotaging democracy'.
The truth is very different. In order to actually understand the situation, we must see both of the points of view and combine them in an honest analysis.
PMLN, for example, has always made projects, policies and the like to show how much work they are doing. But anyone who has lived in Punjab, their favorite province, can tell how full of lies they are. An outsider may see the 'investments', 'economic reforms', mega projects and schemes and think that Nawaz Sharif is very good. Similarly, An average, relatively uninformed Pakistani will see things like the protests and blame them for undermining Nawaz's efforts.
The truth is that these PR projects do nothing to actually help Pakistanis. On one hand we have them handing out laptops (not to mention all the fraud in this) and on the other we have schools without books or a roof. Then we have mega projects like the Metro Bus (again, not counting the fact that NS benefits from these through his steel mills and other businesses) while Lahore doesn't have a proper sewage and drainage system. PMLN had more than enough time in Punjab to at least fix this. No developed province (or at least a city like Lahore) should flood every time it rains.
The 'prescriptions and symptoms' analogy the author is is using here is perfect when we look at Pakistani healthcare. If you go to a clinic, in most places of Pakistan, you'll find 'doctors' giving patients strong drips and injections for small things like a cough or fever. Now what this does is that it convinces poor, uneducated people that they are being given proper treatment and they happily fork out their hard-earned cash. Their symptoms stop, but after a while, thanks to the underlying issue being ignored, their symptoms return, worse than before.
That is precisely the strategy NS uses in Pakistan. Just replace 'injections and drips' with mega-projects and 'patients' with the public and you get an honest analysis of PMLN's performance.
Now over here this author makes a good point, then reverts to milking the old 'security establishment' argument. The truth is that this idea that the Army has been undermining the country is grossly exaggerated. It may have been true in the past but during Kayani's leadership and now Raheel Sharif's, this 'meddling' was talk and almost nothing else. And even when we talk about the past, most of the times it wasn't the Army that caused the downfall of civilian governments - It was the politicians' greed and incompetence that gave the Army reason and opportunity to intervene.
The point about 'on paper' is further backed by the fact that while PMLN boasted a lot about their economic success, the actual facts were stating the contrary, like this author says here:
They have some short boosts, for a couple of days it feels like everything is going well but one month or two later, everything is back to deteriorating again.
In Punjab around 2009, where PMLN ruled during the previous term, we used to hear things like 'loadshedding will finish by 2012'. In 2012, sitting in the dark and reading a newspaper with a candle, I read that the metro bus project started, all while we had no electricity for upto 18 hours a day. PMLN ruled for a long time and all they did was PR.
With the metro bus, one might argue of its importance or effect but the truth is it cost a lot more than it should have. And this cost is not counting the fact that they demolished countless shops and businesses to make room for it. I was in Lahore and I witnessed shops, bakeries and mosques being demolished. People complained about not getting proper compensation (in some cases, they didn't get any. They're probably still desperately wandering around in courts).
Surprisingly, very less media reported this.
All I found was this:
What price the Azadi | TNS - The News on Sunday
And lets not forget the long-term problems caused by the project:
Is Metro Bus a success story?
What about the cost of maintaining it and running it? What about the practicality of allocating so many resources to it while Pakistan suffers from so many other pertinent issues? It seems like PMLN has left behind a perfect trap for whoever comes in power after them - they will be blamed for the eventual deterioration and ultimately, failure, of the Metro Bus project.
At the end of the day, politicians like Nawaz Sharif will only do things that would directly benefit them. Their disregard for the general population is evident when we factor in things like the Model Town incident, where innocent people were injured because of politicians trying to intimidate their opposition.
PTI may not be the panacea for Pakistan's problems and Imran Khan may not be the messiah. But at the very least, it's a little hope in the form of a new party with new ideals.
I don't oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am a blind follower of IK. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am misinformed or a 'burger'. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I want military rule. I do not oppose Nawaz Sharif because I hate democracy.
I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I'm sick of being lied to. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I am sick of listening to false promises. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because he's had enough chances. I oppose Nawaz Sharif because I want a proper democracy, where leaders are actually accountable and where people's votes can be accounted for.
Sorry for the really long post but there's too much to be said.
People are welcome to discuss, dissect and criticize, just please keep it civil.
@Leader @Norwegian @Jazzbot @orangzaib @Akheilos @FaujHistorian
