Crumbling support

PM Imran Khan was accused of incompetence by his critics during the first year of his tenure. His supporters however defended him, maintaining that the critics of the PTI government were disingenuous and motivated by partisan politics. Within months some of the PTI’s supporters also started leveling similar charges and raised concerns about the PTI’s governance and are now openly complaining of bad governance both at the center and in the provinces ruled by the PTI. Among other things, the government has been accused of failing to bring corruption under control and mismanaging the economy. Even the PTI’s own legislators are now questioning the performance of the government.

That they are speaking out publicly, ignoring party forums, indicates a growing perception that the party leadership is unwilling to listen to complaints regarding its failures. In particular, questions are being raised over the performance of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, with many saying that his provincial government was giving a bad name to the PTI due to its poor performance. Those supposedly on the side of the PTI government must be worried by its thoughtless policies that are hurting people badly.

Qazi Jamshed Alam Siddiqui

Lahore