The much-hyped public rally, where Imran Khan had promised to spring a surprise did happen on March 27 with considerable attendance, but without any revelation, which could have stirring effect on the public. It was a pack of usual rhetoric of conspiracy and foreign money being used to topple his government, which we have often heard when the governments were faced with a similar situation, and the scorn heaped on dissenting members of his party and presenting the confrontation between his government and opposition as a battle between virtue and evil. The only difference between his assertions in the previous public rallies and this one was that he tried to use religious card with greater intensity. One really wonders at his audacity to talk about Islamic injunctions about siding with the righteous cause when he has very dismal credential of his own in this regard. Where was his conscience and righteousness when during the by-election at Daska, his government used all underhand methods to change the results of the polling: when his government won over the loyalties of the opposition senators to win the election for senate chairman; when he lied about rigging in the 2013 elections and accused PML (N) of 35 punctures on which he built his anti-government narrative and in the end confessed that it was only a political talk? One would also like to ask him where was his conscience sleeping when he formed coalition government with the help of PMLQ and PMQM notwithstanding the fact that he used to call Pervez Elahi as the biggest “Daku” of Punjab and the latter, a party of anti-Pakistan elements. Politicians on both sides of the divide can be safely categorized as demagogues who have taken the nation for a ride to protect their vested interests and narrow political agendas. I am afraid in view of the foregoing proven realities dubbing the confrontation between his party and the opposition as a struggle between virtue and evil is a terribly wrong notion, to say the least. Since the filing of non-confidence motion by the opposition parties, he (instead of dealing with the issue in a constitutional manner) is running around addressing public rallies projecting himself to be the personification of virtue and fighting against opposition, which collectively represented evil. It is desperate effort to stoke a purely political issue into a battle between virtue and evil. What is happening is a simple and straight power politics at play, which does not have any far off connection with struggle between virtue and evil. If it is to be evaluated in terms of virtue and evil at all, I would rather call it a battle between two evils vying for ascendency over each other. The reality is that politicians on both sides of the divide can be safely categorized as demagogues who have taken the nation for a ride to protect their vested interests and narrow political agendas, by duping the people in the name of religion and giving false hopes to them for winning their franchise. It has been an un-ending story of deception and betrayal of the objectives of independence. Let me assure the people and the stakeholders in the political future of the country that nothing is going to change in favour of the masses and reinforcement of democracy, whether Imran remains at the helm of the affairs or makes an exit as a result of the success of no-confidence motion against him. The fault actually lies with the archaic colonial system of governance and the way we elect our representatives, which breeds a culture of corruption, graft and entitlement and above all ensures monopoly over political power by the feudal lords and elite classes. The single constituency system provides them the crutches to remain perched in the corridors of power. Most of these people, particularly in the rural setting have captive votes which ensures their electability in the parliamentary elections. So in the numbers game they not only play a pivotal role in perpetuation of the colonial system of governance but also in the make and break of the governments. We have seen such dramas repeatedly. The current political confrontation between the PTI government and the opposition parties will probably also be resolved by their role in the no-confidence proceedings. This will surely not be the last time the country is going to see political turmoil in the country. The system remaining the same no good can be expected. As Einstein said— and Imran likes to quote that though does not himself acts that way— “doing the same thing again and again and expecting different result is insanity” We have had enough of elections held on single constituency basis and suffering from its consequences in the shape of perennial political instability and burgeoning deprivation among different segments of the society. That has to change if the country is to embark on the course envisaged by its founding father. Real democracy and governments responsive to problems of the people can only be ensured by switching over to the system of proportional representation. In the proportional representation system people vote for the parties and not individual candidates. Parties get representation in the legislature in conformity with the percentage of votes polled by it. Under this arrangement voting is compulsory for every eligible registered voter. The party then nominates its members to represent it in the parliament. Party leaders are no more hostage to the machinations of the electables. The system reflects the real worth and support of the parties among the masses, ensures mainstreaming of small regional parties and above all breaks the hold on political power by the elite classes which has been the bane of our socio-economic development. It is easier said than done. The current crop of politicians have well-entrenched vested interests in the continuation of the old system and would not like to go for a real change to make Pakistan strong by saving it from the political instability which has marred the political landscape ever since independence. Probably a mass movement against the prevalent system led by the middle and down-trodden classes seems to be the answer. People need to wake up and assert their sovereignty. The other possibility of bringing the required change in the political scenario of the country is for the establishment to play its role in bringing all the parties together after the turmoil regarding no-confidence motion is over and make them agree to the introduction of system of proportional representation and hold fresh elections in the country. Though many people will raise eye brows over this proposal but if the role of the establishment helps in putting the country back on rails, why not? The writer is a former diplomat and freelance columnist.