We, at Daily Times, had hoped for the Eid break to be a much-needed moment of reflection for the ruling elite. See the error in your ways to put your best foot forward for the masses, we have emphasised. To the misfortune of this 230 million-strong nation, no word of advice appeared to have had any effect whatsoever. In another vicious resurgence of the audio leaks featuring the mother-in-law of Pakistan’s chief justice and her political choices, the dividing lines became more fractured and the discourse all the more vile. Soon after the recording had hit the internet, viral trends and heated press conferences saw the major players jump to make the most of this manna from heaven, with some calling for a suo moto notice and others demanding the chief’s resignation altogether. That the air is already as thick as butter amid a row between two key pillars of the state has made the optics terrible, and, of course, the man heading our higher judiciary would sooner (rather than later) be forced to cough up some explanations regarding his neutrality. The Judicial Code of Conduct does not warrant any footnote when it comes to ensuring the honourable members of the bench are “above reproach.” But just as worrisome has been the addition of further credence to the extremely unnecessary, straight-out-of-Orwellian dystopia, surveillance of government officials and their family members. No matter where one may stand on the spectrum, the clip could not amount to anything more than an informal conversation punctuated with political connotations. Earlier, when candid conversations between coalition members had made rounds on social media, PM Shehbaz Sharif had vowed a high-level committee to investigate a “very serious lapse.” If those security breaches carried a “big question mark,” the in-vogue recording also requires similar investigations. The entire government machinery has been held hostage to the eyes and ears lurking in all corners for far too long. Isn’t it high time we rise above our political differences and work towards a strategy that protects everyone? *