Federal Minister Rana Sanaullah did no special effort to hide his smugness when he jumped to defend the ECP decision to delay polls on Wednesday. He asked the House to take a collective trip down memory lane and wonder whether this had been a first-of-its-kind event. But while he may be bright in his history, his knowledge of the constitution desperately needs a refresher course. Sadly, he is not alone. Completely unfazed by scathing criticism pouring from all quarters, the ruling PML(N) and its mouthpieces are determinedly standing behind Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in the name of “national interest.” Moving the date to October might have been a gross misstep on his part but the very public display of pressure by some pillars of the state would be just as hard to sweep under the rug. Amid speculations about a similar about-turn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seemingly understandable reservations on the willingness or capacity to hold free and fair elections, one distasteful jolt has made the constitution a hapless bystander in the political circus. It may cry for help or even ask the ruling elite to consider what the people want but neither its stipulations nor its aspirations carry weight to bring a change. Those shedding crocodile tears over the security situation would do well to remember the polls of 2013 were held only because a bruised-and-battered PPP believed in making it to the finish line. Is the recent spike in terrorism worse than what we had witnessed in the bone-chilling December? Banters decrying the financial exasperation and how Pakistan stands at the doorstep of dreaded default should take a closer look at the cosmetic megaprojects that continue to hit the news cycle every single day. The heated chaos eating up millions from our precious coffers in the name of maintaining law and order as ordinary Pakistanis are stripped of whatever measly opportunities they have to earn their bread and butter should also have been considered when the powers that be decided to kick the can further down the dusty path. The opposition and its supporter might wait till October, but honourable ministers, can the country and its economy afford to languish on the cliff till then? *