Daily Times

Never before have as many eyes been set on the by-elections schedule as in Punjab’s heated contest over seats vacated by the former ruling party’s rogue soldiers.

While pinning hopes on the results that would be announced on July 22 and the subsequent power equation for the chief minister’s election might sound like a solid plan in the so-called heartland of the country, the ongoing bonanza of political free-for-all bellows the need for caution.

Because even though the electoral exercise would fill the ominous seats in the historic assembly, who can actually claim that there would be no sore losers. The twists and turns of political wrangling, which have till now made use of every available plotline (from lotas to unbelievable impunity over vicious onslaughts all the way down to organising two parallel sessions) have rubberstamped that the chaos is here to stay.

Because no matter how many streets the kaptaan may visit and how loudly he may call on the voters to grind down the turncoats, it would be incredibly hard to paper over the administrative cracks left behind by petty stalemates over budgetary deliberations.

Presentation of a treasury bill is, without any exaggeration, the ultimate job description of an executive. And by indulging in theatrics, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, not only turned the heat on Hamza Shehbaz and his team but also triggered an instability, flashes of which are bound to knock on the PTI’s door.

The upcoming battle royale might also set the course for the rest of the country by resolving the crisis in Punjab. If Punjab does not bow down to the traitor narrative, how would Imran Khan’s campaign designs sail through choppy waters leading to 2023? Nevertheless, with the masses standing in his corner, he can easily spell the end of one of the most short-lived (insignificant?) chief ministerships in the nation’s history.

Both sides are busily karaoking to tunes they believe would win back the razor-sharp majority. It can only be hoped that the best team would win but with a heartfelt prayer for sanity to finally prevail in the topmost corridors of this country. Only when they realise they need to move beyond this bloodied game of musical chairs, the welfare of people would land back on the artist’s palette. *