Saga of nomination papers

Nomination papers of several PTI contesters for upcoming elections have been rejected on one ground or another including those of Imran Khan who continues to languish in jail on charges that many believe are fake and concocted. On the other hand nomination papers of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have been cleared to contest the upcoming elections in February.

Everyone across the board in Pakistan believes that these elections are being held just to path the way of Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto to come into power and run the affairs of Pakistan. Everyone across the board also believes that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari himself has no charges of corruption against him but no body denies that Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz has tons of corruption charges against them. And that’s where the problem lies. It is not only the putting of Imran Khan in jail and rejecting his elections papers which is causing Pakistani people to react in a peculiar manner but it is the same corrupt faces of the Sharif’s family which is causing the hopelessness in the future of Pakistan.

Agreeing with the fact that the establishment supported Imran Khan in the elections held in 2018 does not pacify the hundreds of corruption cases in which the Sharif family is involved. Imran’s hate should not become the cause of love for Nawaz Sharif. The future of Pakistan and its almost 200 million inhabitants should not be left in such confusion and chaos.

The other day Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff stated that anti Pakistan rumor mill is in full gear on social media. We completely agree the Chief but such moves by the Election Commission to reject so many nomination papers of one political party only adds more fuel to the social media influencers around the world. Has the Chief of Army Staff ever made a report to see how much money Pakistan spends on its own branding on social media around the world. Every intelligent country around the world, in every important capital, since last several decades has been spending thousands and millions of dollars through their respective embassies on branding their own country on social media. Every political party of Pakistan nationally and internationally spends thousands of dollars to promote their own political party but they do not promote Pakistan. Then who is going to promote Pakistan? Who is going to promote the good things of Pakistan and who is going to promote the challenges of Pakistan?

We believe that Imran Khan and his political party PTI along with all the other political parties have learnt a common lesson of not messing with the establishment. They have learnt that their politics should not reach the defence corridors of Pakistan. The piousness, the charitable work, the cricket World Cup trophy or the Oxford degree does not give Imran Khan the right or liberty to accuse serving military general of plotting to assassinate him. We still fail to understand who gave this idea to Imran Khan to accuse an army general of assassinating him. Pakistani military is known around the world for countering some of the most lethal terrorist organizations in the world and in some the most difficult terrains including the suburbs. If they wanted to eliminate Imran Khan, it was a piece of cake for them. We personally believe they protected him from several attempts to kill.

Having said all this, the conclusion is that if Pakistan wants to be on the right path and direction, it must give the opportunity to deserving candidates to come forth and participate in the due process of elections. Bygone should be bygones and new chapter in the history of Pakistan needs to be turned where free and fair elections decide the destiny of Pakistan. Enough of these old faces and their old corruption cases. Pakistan is full of new and talented faces in every field of life. These talents should be explored and polished. Pakistan deserves better so let’s make it better.