“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. “ (Charles Dickens ‘Tale of Two Cities’). Indeed! These are interesting times. Yet another phase towards consolidating democracy has got completed despite doomsayers predicting denouement of the system every passing day. Senate elections have been successfully held, now the race is on the for election of the next chairman—an office accorded profound respect and high moral ground by the outgoing Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani of PPP who set upright parliamentary traditions never hesitating a moment in standing up to invisible forces itching to derail the system due to lack of importance shown to the Parliament by the ruling party. One wishes a second term for him but then that could only be possible if wishes were horses. It is question of a magical coin in possession of the former prime minister and the so-called prime minister in waiting. Howsoever high the spin, whichever side it falls — the result is same. According to a self-confession by the Kaptan, at least 17 of his MPs sold themselves out perhaps for Rs 4 crore each. The number of sell outs could be higher — if and when — Kaptan’s tearful pleadings to the highest judiciary that declared him ‘Sadiq and Amin’ of such a corrupt lot — holds a successful inquiry. Much similar is the accusation made by PMLN demanding PTI chief to disclose how ‘good Mohamed Sarwar’ as PTI’s candidate short of 14, got 44 votes when his party did not have the winning number. Democracy is not an end in itself. It is a means to establishing an egalitarian society in which the state is responsible for the well-being of its citizens — irrespective of caste, creed, colour and gender with total freedom to practice one’s religion as a private affair that has nothing to do with business of the state In this ‘season of darkness’ the most maligned party — the PPP — by both the ‘super honest’ leaders like MNS and IK — established a record in credibility by electing members of the minority Hindu community including yet another first — a Hindu woman worker from backward Thar — with wealth as no virtue for them. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and the PPP opted for political commitment of the have-nots in the founding principles of the party and duly rewarded them. These Hindu members had nothing to boost about in gold and glitter but their sheer commitment and loyalty to the party. And most importantly, credit also goes to PPP MPs and their unwavering loyalty. They did not sell themselves out to the highest bidder as did the PMLN and PTI MPs according to the candid confessions of their party leaders. Obviously making it easier for the voters in the forthcoming general elections as to which party would mean real ‘tabdeli’ instead of crocodile tears. Around 90 days to elections — country is already embroiled in hectic campaigning. How the results could end the period of ‘darkness’ and usher in ‘season of light and hope’ — depends — if nothing untoward happens from now and to the polls — if there are no extra constitutional interventions or judicial intrusions amidst Zia like pledges that players obviously overly prominent in the machinations, swearing of no political agenda or ambitions — live up to their words. Nation shall have to go beyond those masquerading as new born democrats with three decade long catalogue of high corruption, crimes, follies and betrayals in absolute pelf and power sustained by the establishment or those who claim they suffered and struggled for the unshackling the people while repeatedly seeking personal conjugal rights — not once but thrice—on record not accounting for the unofficial scorecard. London’s prominent TV anchor Tamoor Iqbal known for his wit and biting quotes — says in a Whatsapp group ‘MNS’s case is that of a ‘certified liar by the highest court of the country’ who he wishes, should have been given Oscar for best screenplay for Qatari ‘beauty’ (i.e. prince’s letter). Indeed, a case of psychopathic mindset of an self-styled ‘ideologue’ who white washes himself every day of his sins forgetting pictures of Benazir Bhutto standing outside the Karachi Central Jail with her three children under scorching sun are permanently itched on public memory. And can the judicial history erase the most infamous judgement convicting her and her husband on the orders of Prime Minister delivered to oblige by Justice Malik Qayum — all matter of record and severe strictures later by the Supreme Court. Democracy is not an end in itself. It is a means to establishing an egalitarian society in which state is responsible for the well-being of its citizens — irrespective of caste, creed, colour and gender with total freedom to practice one’s religion as a private affair having nothing to do with the business of the state. Elections are means to achieving that end. Now polls are around the corner. In next few days all the major political parties and the media should get down to framing important issues and pragmatic manifestos. Pakistan is in a mess both internally and externally. It does not have a foreign policy nor do we know who our friends are. Both civilian and military leadership are as much on the same page as was indicated in the infamous Dawn leaks (October 2016). National identity of a liberal Pakistan is held hostage by the retrogressive forces and gaining strength in cahoots with the dark state to keep it straitjacketed in its stranglehold. No one is bothered to outline how those who matter would tackle life threatening issues such as imminent water famine, population explosion, unemployment, lack of medi-care, inaccessible potable water, lack of sanitation, increasing environmental hazards, lawlessness, child and female abuse, infantile deaths, least priority to quality education — compelling academics describe Pakistan as a ‘failed state.’ It is high time social, print and electronic media force political parties to come out with their manifestos instead of wasting time in debating the vicissitudes of ‘iddat’ in the case of recent wedlock of marriage veterans wherein some have even declared the ‘Nikah’ as not ‘halal’ in the absence of non-completion of the period of ‘Iddat’ notwithstanding the fact that women mostly now never grow old to qualify the religious restriction! The writer is the former High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK and a veteran journalist Published in Daily Times, March 7th 2018.