Islamabad, Jan 6 The culture of blame game continues to dominate politics in Pakistan with leaders relying heavily on comparison and avoiding to talk clearly about their own performance and achievements. Political leaders in Pakistan are often more interested in discussing the failures of other parties, raising serious questions about political culture in Pakistan, a report has stated. Whenever a lawmaker appears on television or addresses a public gathering, the same pattern is followed.
In response to a question regarding inflation, the political leaders respond by blaming the previous government, according to a report in Karachi-based 'Aaj News'. If they (politicians) are asked regarding unemployment, they speak about corruption which prevailed under their opponents. When questioned regarding broken institutions, they talk on how badly Pakistan was run before they came to power.
"Elections come and go, governments change and promises are made again and again. Yet one habit remains unchanged across almost all political parties. When leaders are asked about their performance, they often avoid talking clearly about their own achievements. Instead, they turn the discussion towards the failures of other parties. This behaviour raises a serious question about political culture in Pakistan," the report mentioned.
People want to know what work has been done during the current government's time and not what happened 10 or 20 years back. This habit of comparison may appear like a clever political strategy but often feels like an excuse. It creates the impression that leaders are not ready or unwilling to defend their own performance.
If a party thinks it has performed well, why will it not highlight its achievements, like completing projects and implementing better policies. The avoidance of such discussion suggests lack of confidence or fear of honest evaluation.
Questions like has the cost of living gone down or up? Are jobs easier to find? Is healthcare affordable? Are schools improving? affect daily life and do not need complex political arguments. However, leaders instead of responding to these questions turn them into political battles. They compare statistics selectively and highlight the failure of others to claim moral superiority.
"In doing so, they often forget the real purpose of governance, which is to serve the people. One reason political leaders rely so heavily on comparison is the culture of the blame game that dominates Pakistani politics. Taking responsibility is seen as a weakness rather than a strength. Admitting mistakes is considered dangerous, as it may be used by opponents as political ammunition," the 'Aaj News' report stated.
"As a result, leaders rarely say, 'We failed in this area' or 'We could have done better.' Instead, they say, 'It is not our fault' or 'Others left us no choice'. This constant blame-shifting may protect leaders in the short-term, but it damages trust in the long run. This behaviour of avoiding one’s own performance also affects how future leaders are shaped," it added.
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