I RECENTLY watched an interesting video clip from 2018 which showed the then prime minister, currently imprisoned for corruption, vehemently denouncing nationwide strikes as ‘economic sabotage’ and calling those behind such strikes ‘enemies’ of Pakistan. Over the last around a couple of years, his own party has been calling for strikes every now and then. This glaring contradiction is not merely ironic; it is emblematic of Pakistan’s toxic political culture, where principles bend to power plays, ultimately harming the nation we all claim to love.

The address in 2018, delivered amid opposition protests against the government of the day, was clear: shutting down the country over judicial or electoral disputes risks ordinary Pakistanis’ livelihoods. The current strikes, imposed by the party upon the people of Pakistan, especially in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan where most people are not interested in closing their businesses, are doing precisely the same thing.

The jailed leader, during his premiership, argued in 2018 that no country can function if halted by discontent, labelling such actions as detrimental to the masses. Yet, on the second anniversary of the 2024 polls, his party called for a complete wheel-jam and business closure, framing it as a ‘peaceful referendum’ against ‘mandate theft’. His supporters seem to have forgotten, or selectively ignored, their leader’s wisdom when he was in power.

This captures how his followers now embrace tactics he once condemned, revealing a hypocrisy that erodes public trust. The outcome of most such strikes only amplifies the farce.

In the most recent case, while people were forced to close their businesses and roads were blocked in KP and Balochistan, the call fizzled in Lahore amid the vibrant Basant festival, with markets buzzing and kites soaring. But the party claimed ‘historic’ success, citing ‘voluntary closures’ and ‘peaceful protests’, while government officials mocked it as a complete failure, noting normal life continued in major cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Trade associations also distanced themselves, warning of billions in losses from even a single day’s disruption.

However, protests continue even today by party workers and leaders. Amid economic woes, including inflation, un-employment and a fragile recovery, such actions feel less like principled dissent and a lot more like clearly self-serving disruption. As a Pakistani, I see this not as a win for any party, but a loss for Pakistan. Political flip-flops breed cynicism, deterring investment and deepening divisions. The party may have grievances over alleged electoral rigging, but resorting to tactics its leader once condemned undermines its moral high ground.

True change demands consistency. If strikes were ‘acts of sabotage’ in 2018, they remain so in 2026. Instead of halting the economy, all political parties should channel their energies into judicial reforms, transparent audits and harmony over national cause. Pakistan deserves better than this hypocrisy. Let us prioritise national stability over partisan games. Only then can we build a true democracy where words match deeds, and protests do serve the people, not individual egos.

Bacha Khan Afridi
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026