IN the soap opera that is Pakistani politics, the year 2022 should be the climax. Limits were pushed, the Constitution was under threat, rights were violated to the core, propaganda was exposed, democracy threatened, and all the while the economy plummeted.

There were several events in the year gone by that can be defined as cataclysmic in themselves. Put together, they projected a view of a country where the knives that were out for political and other rivals also harmed democracy and fundamental rights in the process. There are several lessons to be learnt, and stock-taking to be done so that 2022’s mistakes are not repeated.

With the PTI still in power at the federal level at the beginning of the year, the draconian Peca Ordinance was introduced to make a bad law worse by expanding powers to prosecute those who criticise state policies by expanding criminal defamation offences and reducing protections.

To the benefit of Pakistani citizens, as well as those who brought the undemocratic ordinance, the Islamabad High Court struck down the Peca Ordinance and also amended Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, to eliminate the criminal defamation part that criminalised “harm to reputation” online; a clause that was exploited to silence both dissent and harassment allegations by women.

Constitutionally too, there was anxiety. We all witnessed the continuing saga of civil-military ties, with sides being switched, ‘neutrality’ invoked and questioned, and the cracks becoming public as the much-celebrated ‘same-page’ relations between the PTI and the military faltered.

Imran Khan asked the ‘neutral’ establishment to stop the vote of no confidence — which went through in April — against him, and tried to get the Speaker to stop it as well. The Supreme Court had to intervene to address the constitutional crisis.

The latter was also seen in Punjab, where democratic tradition was hit hard when, for a while, the prime minister’s son took over as chief minister after controversial assembly proceedings.

Despite claims of the establishment’s neutrality, the PTI found itself being targeted in a similar fashion as the PML-N was while in opposition for criticising the military’s interference in politics.

It is strange that this meddling has been opposed not on the basis of principles but, rather, for not getting establishment support. It is in this environment, with the PTI openly abusing the military that the party leadership faced persecution: fake corruption cases, abuse of cybercrime laws, torture of party leaders including members of parliament, detention without charge, and continued attempts to bring in laws to strengthen the state’s ability to silence dissent.

In the light of the events of 2022, it is important for the rulers to commit to major improvements.

But some things always remain the same. Elected MNA from South Waziristan Ali Wazir remained in jail despite several bail orders, due to additional cases being filed and judges refusing to hear his cases, while Baloch students and activists continued to be disappeared, showing that the state’s tolerance of dissent in Balochistan and western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was particularly low as before.

It is in this year that the Taliban’s terror activities increased in KP and crept into Islamabad. The leaderships of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement and the National Democratic Movement had warned of this, but to no avail.

The billions spent on military operations seem to have gone to waste as police officers in the capital are again being killed, and girls’ schools in Swat and the newly merged districts of KP are again under threat. In this context, one cannot ignore the influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, who have shut down schools and universities for women and forbidden them from employment.

Inflation has continued to rise with the cost of living becoming unbearable for a large section of society, especially with increasing oil, electricity and gas prices. This is a blow to the right to exist with dignity and the provision of life’s necessities.

There was no let-up in the persecution of the media but 2022 saw pro-PTI media outlets and journalists take a hit, while those who had lost their jobs under the PTI started to resurface on TV.

The assassination in Kenya of anchor Arshad Sharif, who had left the country in the wake of threats and multiple cases filed against him, was particularly gory. Meanwhile, audio leaks of opposition figures started surfacing, embarrassing those behind the leaks more than the victims in this gross violation of privacy.

In the light of the events of 2022, it is important that the top leadership in Pakistan commits itself to improvements in 2023 which is likely to be another very busy year of politics due to the expected elections in October.

Children who were 13 years and older during the 2018 election will now be eligible to vote, with more than half of the country’s population under 30 deciding who is to govern Pakistan for the next five years.

It is of utmost importance that the Constitution of Pakistan be followed in its true spirit rather than being manipulated to suit the interests of the powerful. It is also essential that the interference of the military and intelligence agencies in politics stops, and that the oath of military officers as outlined in the Constitution not be violated.

The fact that Gen Bajwa retired in 2022, after being at the helm for six years, instead of the routine three because of a debatable extension, speaks of the need for political parties to draw red lines of engagement with the establishment.

The media’s independence must be respected, and social media regulation that is under review currently must be rights-friendly rather than reflect the state’s control-related paranoia. Enforced disappearances must stop for any semblance of stability and torture should be effectively outlawed with consequences for officials indulging in either.

Pakistanis have proven over history that they are capable of successfully resisting any attempt at violating their fundamental freedoms.

The writer is director of Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum for digital rights.
Twitter: @UsamaKhilji

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2022