TERRORISM is an incredibly difficult issue to resolve, and we have seen a decline in terrorist activities in the last few years owing to military operations and other (albeit half-hearted) measures taken by the government. However, I take exception to the government’s attitude towards tackling terrorism.

There is no communication between the defence and interior ministers. The interior minister appears to be caught up in his own political affairs, needing party sycophants to massage his ego. Following the devastating bomb blast on Ferozepur Road in Lahore, the minister chose to appear before the press to announce that he was cancelling his press conference in light of the events, when he could have notified them without making a public appearance. The move had all the signs of being motivated by political optics rather than consideration for the victims.

This attitude of the government’s cabinet is unacceptable. The people have given them the mandate to protect them and provide them with opportunities to improve their lives. If the minister — whose job it is to implement Nacta and NAP — is more concerned with feuding with the leadership of his party than the job he was assigned to do, he ought to resign and find another calling.

Despite my enormous reservations with the PTI and its leadership, I believe that we must elect them to power in the 2018 general election. Not because I believe Imran Khan is a better person, or his party is better than the others, or that they will be able to resolve our myriad problems, but because I believe that the health and resilience of our democracy requires a change in government every five years.

It is true that much of the current leadership in the incumbent and opposition parties is predominantly incompetent and corrupt, however, there are also many good individuals in every party. Continuity in the election process and peaceful transitions of governments will open the door for new blood in politics and allow our nascent democracy to flourish. Parties and its leaders may come and go, but democracy is where our allegiances must lie. Pakistan’s unity and integrity are only guaranteed with a working, functional and resilient democracy.

Misbah Azam

San Jose, California

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2017