Pak PM Imran Khan lacks clarity on policies

Answers given by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during a recent telephonic interaction with the public raise questions about his ability to lead the country and also show that he lacks the ability to formulate well thought-out policies and implement them. Khan had publicly rebuked his own embassies for actions that did not fall under their purview, showing that the PM has a woefully inadequate understanding of embassies' consular work, reported PakistanToday, in an editorial piece.

Khan had last Wednesday in a video conference with Pakistani envoys lashed out at the foreign service officers for not serving the expatriate community well and harbouring a colonial mindset.

His statements came after the suspension of former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz and recall of six diplomats from the embassy in Riyadh over community complaints.

Earlier Khan instead of holding an enquiry first, the PM went on air to lambast the country's diplomats. While appearing to retract the accusations, the Khan blamed those who telecast his interaction live instead of showing its excerpts only.

In other words, the PM still believes that the allegations levelled by him were correct while those who publicised them were wrong, reported PakistanToday.

Moreover, as per the editorial, Khan's policies on India are also not clear. While answering a question about future relations with India, Khan categorically stated that there were going to be no talks with India until the Modi government reverts to Kashmir's pre-August 2019 status (abrogation of the special status of the state and its division into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on August 5, 2019).

Will Pakistan meanwhile have no trade talks with India and will there be no return of the two High Commissioners to their chanceries? Will this state of inaction reduce tension between Pakistan and India, the editorial asked.

Moreover, responding to a question regarding the continuous rise in prices of essential goods, the PM accused the media of unnecessarily making it an issue. Aren't the prices rising all over the world? he asked.

He said he had given the task of bringing down the prices to the new Finance Minister. If the issue didn't exist, then why ask the Finance Minister to deal with it? And if it exists why weren't former Finance Ministers told to resolve it? reported PakistanToday.

Visionary leaders happen to be rare among politicians, the least one expects from Imran Khan is an ability to craft well thought out policies combined with competence to implement them.

There is a lack of clarity on the policies and a dependence on kneejerk reactions on the part of the Imran Khan's administration.

One also expects him to be sufficiently discreet so that he does not create embarrassing situations for himself, reported PakistanToday.

( With inputs from ANI )