It has become virtually impossible to ascertain who, in the ruling circles, has their eye set on the ball. The self-perpetuating politics of hatred continues to drown out the buzz and while their arguments may tug at the heartstrings on a personal level, the collective apathy to the ominous crashing of the floodgates is riveting. In yet another instalment of the tragic comedy of errors, a resolution by the national assembly bound the prime minister to not “implement the unconstitutional and unlawful decision” by the Supreme Court in the Punjab elections delay case. The same prime minister, in turn, decried the development as a “mockery of the constitution and law at the risk of standing in naked contempt of the court. The honourable men need an urgent reminder that even if the technicalities, the opaqueness of the panel and selection processes can be pulled and twisted all they want, the judges, as constitutionally-mandated custodians of the law, enthused the very spirit they all wish to jump to the frontline to protect. A much confident opposition has now found a flexible bone and wishes to lay out a deliberation table for a one-time “constitutional amendment.” Closing its eyes to the rapid turn of events right underneath its nose, the face of the government (PML-N) stands adamant and thunders: no polls on my watch. Mind everyone, the party that reached the echelons of power only to smoothen the kinks and hold elections so that true representatives of the people of a sovereign country could sit on the positions they deserved and at least attempt to make sense of the poly-crises brewing in all corners has forgotten the prime purpose of its existence. Unfazed by the uproar, the Election Commission of Pakistan has gotten to its original business, probably realising that they too cannot rise above the law. As the ground gets ready for another mega showdown between the executive and the judiciary, we, at Daily Times, can only request all sides to exercise restraint. The country has been far too overwhelmed by fighting unnecessary battles at the most critical juncture in its history. Let cooler heads foster unity because political uncertainty, messier exchanges and divided lines have been enjoying the limelight for a while now. *