The entire nation had set their eyes on Imran Khan with great hope when he took oath as the prime minister last year in August.
Since 2013 until 2018 general elections the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders had taken the then ruling party to task. They had also promised that their party will bring the ‘change’ within 90 days after coming into power. Lets see how far they have been successful in fulfilling their promises.
It is not easy to determine success and failure of a government. Economy can be measured by comparing with previous government but good governance can not be measured on the basis of figures.
Successful foreign policy, merger of FATA, crackdown on corruption, Sehat Insaf Card, Poverty Eradication Programme, tree plantation for environmental protection and frugality in expenditures have been regarded as successful maneuvers in running the government.
Analysts believe that getting support of friendly countries on diplomatic fronts and financial aid from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and China are laudable steps. They also appreciated opening Kartarpur Corridor and announcing ‘Panahgah’ programme for shelterless people.
However, measures in economic sector have been abortive and delay in approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is deemed as a blunder.
‘Biggest success is ease in providing visa’
Talking to BBC Urdu, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said the biggest achievement of his government was creating easiness in process of getting visa for Pakistan.
“The ruling party has changed the old policy. Consequently, businessmen could immediately get visa to the country,” he said adding that the citizens of China, Malaysia, Turkey the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates could be given visa on arrival.
He said the visa on arrival facility would be expanded to other countries as well.
Talking about other gains, Fawad said in comparison with previous governments, no corruption case had been surfaced in this government in one complete year.
Successful housing programme
Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said the department of postal services had earned Rs18 billion in one year which was 70 per cent more than last year, while the communications department had gained 52 percent additional profit with Rs43 billion.
He regarded Panahgah scheme of the prime minister as the biggest achievement of the government. He said since the PTI government came into power it had a dream to provide shelter to impoverished.
Madrassah reforms
Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood said for him the biggest accomplishment of the government was development in madrassah reforms.
“Our goal is uniformity of educational system in the country and we have had long meetings with members of Tanzeem Wifaqul Madaris in this regard. We have assured them that we are not trying to take reins of madrassahs,” he said.
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‘Good intentions, lack of planning’
Analysts and critics are unanimous on that intentions of the PTI government are good but viewing their performance it felt as if they lacked proper planning.
An analyst Aziz Yousaf said that the ruling party had got debt up to nine billion dollars which could be regarded as a burden on economy, but for him it was a megahit as it was taken from friendly countries and it was mandatory to improve economic situation of the country.
Failures
Could not perform up to hopes of middle-class people
Fawad Chaudhry said their party was more popular in middle-class people, but the PTI could not provide much facilities to them amid financial crisis. He said another sector in which the PTI could not perform up to the mark was reforms in public departments.
Murad Saeed said he could not say if any of the government step was disaster because it was working in every sector especially the economic, which, he said, needed time to improve.
‘Govt has no strategy’
A critic Uzair Younis said the biggest failure of the PTI was taking charge of the government without prior homework. He rued that the PTI had firm belief that they were going to make the next government still they did not prepare beforehand.
He said poor people were directly affected of inflation, while according to the State Bank of Pakistan report there was no significant improvement in tax collections.
‘Act like opposition, while in govt’
Another analyst Raza Rumi said the biggest nonaccomplishment of the government was not making efforts to create political stability in the country. He said another failure of the government was that it was acting like an opposition while in the government.
