Pakistan’s politics of confrontation exposes deep constitutional imbalance: Report

Islamabad, Sep 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) Pakistan faces a stark constitutional paradox: a state that projects strategic strength abroad, yet remains unable to establish a stable and broadly accepted constitutional balance of power at home, a report has stated.

The crisis cannot be resolved merely by changing governments or replacing one political beneficiary with another; it needs a rational, inclusive constitutional framework agreed upon by the country’s principal stakeholders to determine how power is exercised, a report in leading Pakistani daily 'The News International' detailed.

“Where does one begin the story of Pakistan’s politics of perpetual confrontation? With the containers gathering around Islamabad, the preventive arrests ahead of the PTI’s September 27 march, or the continuing struggle over Imran Khan’s medical care, meetings with his family or the perpetual government-PTI verbal brawls over political legitimacy, judicial propriety and fair play? Or must one begin before Pakistan’s birth with the circumstances of its creation and the asymmetrical institutional and political power and anxieties and shortcomings of a political culture that evolved in an embattled environment?” the report detailed.

“The immediate confrontation is only the latest manifestation of a deeper, enduring asymmetry: between constitutional office and actual power; between authority claimed and legitimacy earned; and between institutions expected to remain within constitutional boundaries and those capable of crossing them with little cost or consequence. The players repeatedly change places, but the machinery of exclusion and coercion survives. This asymmetry has also been reinforced by the weak performance, excesses, omissions and shifting power alliances of the elected political class,” it added.

According to the report, Pakistan has repeatedly replaced the constitutional balance with coercive power, overlooking the fact that power alone cannot provide the foundation for a political system.

It noted that the pervasive atmosphere of conspiracy, manipulation, insecurity and anger across Pakistan’s political, institutional and social landscape drains the energy that should instead be channelled towards comprehensive progress and greater achievements at home and abroad.

Stressing that foreign policy and security cannot ultimately be insulated from political instability, constitutional disorder and deepening alienation among citizens, the report said, “A state may perform impressively abroad for a period while remaining unsettled at home; but enduring international strength requires internal political stability.”

“Unless competent visionary statecraft is instituted through consensus, performance and commitment to rule of law, Pakistan will continue to be bogged down,” it noted.

Source: IANS