Public Issues Also Await Negotiations

 The solution to public issues is not even on the politicians’ priority list

Negotiation has always been important in Pakistan's political history. When politicians are caught up in personal interests, they run to negotiations and forget all grievances.

For many years now, there has been a significant divide between the ruling parties and opposition parties. They disagree on every matter and fail to reach a consensus on any public issue. These issues and differences remain unresolved through negotiations, but as soon as personal issues arise, politicians set aside their enmities and sit down at the negotiating table, eventually reaching an agreement. For instance, the issue of increasing the salaries of assembly members has never been a point of contention; even old political enemies come together on this matter. However, it is the public issues that await the politicians' consensus.

The agenda for these negotiations remains unclear.

PTI’s demands will likely center around their political interests. What are their demands? To release the founder of PTI, release political prisoners. Their focus is solely on improving their political future, nothing more. They realize that if the situation continues as it is, it will be impossible for them to return to power. This is not only the case for PTI, but for all political parties.

It is worth noting that when it comes to personal interests, politicians do not hesitate to form alliances with their fiercest opponents. But when it comes to sitting down to resolve public issues, they refuse to even look at each other. Their entire struggle, coalition-building, alliances, and enmities are not for the country’s interest but for the benefit of themselves and their parties. 

Our politicians never work this hard for public interests, nor do they consider negotiations to solve public issues. They maintain all their enmities, never agreeing on anything, leaving public problems unresolved.

Pakistan is currently going through a severe economic and financial crisis. Everyone is thinking of leaving the country. Clearly, when they have no opportunities to advance in their own country, what else can they do? Forget advancement, they are just worried about having enough food to eat, and after higher education, they struggle to find a livelihood, while our politicians remain busy in the battle for power, securing personal interests, and worrying about the bright future of their own children.

Just as politicians are negotiating for their personal interests, they should also come together to address public issues. Politicians should build a consensus on topics such as the country's economy, good governance, merit, providing public services, credible accountability systems, institutional reforms, and timely justice.

If politicians genuinely care about the country and its people, they must put their personal interests aside and make serious efforts to solve public issues. Otherwise, public trust in politicians will fade completely, which is already largely diminished, though political workers still trust their leaders to some extent. If their behavior continues in this manner, it will eventually be lost. 

Not only will this ruin their political future, which is what the opportunistic individuals deserve, but the country will also fall deeper into crisis.