Despite plunging into serious crises one after the other since coming into power in 2013 the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was toddling toward the completion of its five-year mandated term, with things by and large swinging in their favour.
Some political analysts still considered the ruling PML-N in danger zone but a large majority believe that the government was out of troubled waters and the comings days and months would further ease down the situation for them because of the improving economic indicators and the addition of power in national grid with the completion of under-construction power projects.
The swift working on Pakistan China Economic Corridor (CPEC) would also be bringing healthy impact on the overall national economy bringing some solace to the people at large in terms of job creation and increase in the demand of industrial input would also help the government to fortify its position.
The Panama Papers revelations in the beginning of the year had plunged the government in serious crisis because the names of the Prime Minister’s sons and daughter also appeared in the list of those holding offshore companies in Panama and their linkage to some very expensive properties in London.
Some political analysts saw the Panama leaks issue even more fatal than the 2014 sit-in of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) which had also virtually brought the government functioning to a virtual halt.
This time the government handled the issue a bit wisely and not let the opposition parties push them to the wall and the matter somehow landed in the apex court where it still is sub judice and now the new Chief Justice of Pakistan who will take it up in January next year after taking oath of his office on the last day of the year (Dec. 31).
Majority of the ruling PML-N leaders were of the view that now they were out of troubled waters and from now onward they would be having a smooth sailing till the culmination of their mandated five years term but political analysts and legal experts saw the rulers still under clouds as the sword of Panama Papers revelations is still hanging on their heads and the apex court is yet to give them clean chit.
PARLIAMENT
During the current year the attitude of ruling PML-N of undermining the Parliament remained unchanged and the Prime Minister and influential colleagues in the cabinet remained indifferent toward the proceedings of both the houses of the Parliament.
The Prime Minister most of the times remained away from the Parliament and especially avoided attending the Upper House proceedings despite huge criticism on him from many quarters.
Similarly the policy of not taking into confidence the Parliament in major decision making of the Parliament remained the hallmark of the rulers who had called a number of all parties conferences and huddles of parliamentary parties heads to take the major decisions.
The performance of the intra-provincial bodies like Council of Common Interests (CCI) and National Finance Commission Award seemed dormant and weak in deciding the pending issues pertaining to the provinces.
ECONOMY
Though the government failed to meet the major economic targets including the revenue collection and broadening of tax net but overall the country’s economy saw an upward trend primarily due to the projects being initiated under the CPEC, as put by some of the economists keeping an eye on the national economy.
The government is being criticised for huge banks borrowing which would ultimately have negative impact on the economic growth of the country and would burden the general masses.
Some of the critics said that due to massive plunge in the oil prices the government had come in a position to meet some of the revenue targets but when it come to the real economic growth the country’s exports had seen sharp decline and that trend is not reversing.
They feared that the life of ordinary Pakistanis would become extremely difficult when the oil prices would return to normal which would automatically bring a huge cut in the revenue generation whereas the government was not taking any solid measures for broadening the tax base by bringing new people in the tax net.
Similarly government was not focusing on the welfare of those associated with the agriculture sector which is considered to be the backbone of the national economy.
FOREIGN POLICY
The country’s foreign policy experienced major jerks during the current year and the country’s relations with India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh had witnessed sharp decline and probably were at lowest ebb since the PML-N assumed power in 2013.
The Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s policy to normalise relations with India had badly failed as the hardcore extremist Hindu regime had come up with extreme steps against Pakistan forcing Islamabad to also come up with some strong-worded response to the Indian policies.
The fate of composite dialogue between the two countries hit the snags with the recent uprising in occupied Kashmir after the stepped up state violence against the innocent Kashmiris.
Toeing the Indian line Bangladesh also came up open against Pakistan in support of India to avenge the Pakistan’s criticism on Bangladesh over the hanging of Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh leaders on alleged war crimes.
The issue of cross border movement of militants on Pak-Afghan border become the reason of discord between Islamabad and Kabul with Afghan government blaming Pakistan for not taking concrete measures to curb it. Islamabad had similar complaints against Kabul as Pakistan is constantly complaining to Kabul for using of its territory for terrorist activities in Pakistan.
The issue of rehabilitation of Afghan refugees back to their country once again surfaced in the second half of the year and on humanitarian grounds the government had extended the stay of the Afghan refugees for another year in the country but under the better registration mechanism.
OPERATION AGAINST MILITANTS
Though Pakistan Army with the support and patronage of the incumbent government had made significant gains but still the government needed to speed up its endeavour in this connection especially in the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) which was under focus and criticism by all and sundry in the past few months.
Both the federal and provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa had also shown slackness in the rehabilitation process of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The government had also shown slackness in the operation against the militants in the settled areas of the country which would only be possible by activating NACTA and implementation of other major points of National Action Plan.
Despite the shortcomings and slackness on part of the PML-N government on many fronts and their failure to achieve the targets set by themselves the political observers saw the things easing out for the government in coming days and months. And as put by the Premier’s daughter Ms Maryum Nawaz Sharif in a tweet after the November’s developments; “There’s an end to every storm.” But only time will tell whether the ruling PML-N is out of storm or another storm is brewing up against them.