The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa postponed his visit to Pakistan amid the political turmoil that has the capital hostage. The fate of numerous minority asylum seekers from Pakistan hangs in the balance while the government, PTI and PAT are locked in a political struggle. Phillip Hammond, the British Foreign Minister has issued a statement on behalf of his country in support of democracy in Pakistan. The EU has issued a vague statement of its own regarding economic ties and the need for the stability of “highly-priced deals” (GST Plus in all likelihood) to have the maximum benefits. India has cancelled its own round of talks with Pakistan, but that was due to the perceived snub from the Pakistan High Commissioner’s meetings with Hurriyat leaders. The US as usual, is closely monitoring the situation is Pakistan and has reportedly held meetings with several political leaders. While fears of the international community are not completely unfounded, the international stance represents a one sided version of legal legitimacy. The presence of protesters on this scale in the capital, while not ideal, shows the other side of democracy at play in Pakistan; accountability. Exercising the democratic right to protest is central to voicing national displeasure against the government, and though there are many ways, and many things to criticise here, the right to protest cannot be one of them.
However, whether the perspective of our trade partners is right or wrong does not change the fact that it exists. All plans of improving economic ties with neighbouring countries go out the window as the government, far too caught up in the political crisis, seems increasingly incapable of handling the problems within its own borders. For those looking in from the outside, the mass protests of thousands outside the parliament will not do anything to ease the fears of international investors about the political instability of Pakistan, nor will it convince leaders of other nations to hold talks with a government that is seen as having only tenuous control over its own parliament. While Imran Khan’s party might not represent the views of the entire opposition, a significant portion of the government is currently embroiled in a political showdown on the roads of Islamabad. This has adverse effects for the political and economic stance of the country in international discourse. As the opposition, PTI has no stake in the blame attributed to roads and highways blocked in the capital from an outsider’s perspective, which simply put, is very bad for business. In the international theatre of perception and reputation, Pakistan seems to be on a diplomatic landslide; something we could have all afforded to go without.