The high hopes pinned on the second round of the Punjab chief minister’s election came crashing down by the weight of the ongoing bonanza of controversial verdicts and heated press conferences. And since clearly, the politicians in this country have seldom acted as they ought to, reports of an iron hand being extended to straighten out the sandbox bedlam started making rounds on the media.
To the great relief of any remaining believers in the sanctity of parliamentary democracy, the Director-General of the ISPR Maj-General Babar Iftikhar has deftly shot down the speculation in flames but the distress signal sent out by the august office of Pakistan’s presidency in this regard does make one wonder would we ever step outside the shadows of our big brothers? Drawing parallels with the mothership of democracy, Great Britain is also suffering from a parliamentary crisis. But that is where the similarities end because business is as usual after a graceful exit by PM Boris Johnson.
There has been to date no blaring of war trumpets by the former administration nor any sight of seething white froth elsewhere. No honourable judge is summoning people’s representatives to answer some hard-hitting questions and no rumour windmill is churning fodder about “grand dialogue” being organised by mediators-in-chief. That the politicians have only themselves to blame for their repeated plunges into the frying pan cannot be stressed enough.
Just as redundant would be to reiterate (after all, every leading party has been singing the tune to whoever would listen) that the institutions, may it be establishment or judiciary, need to pitch in to ensure the ruling elite finally snaps out of its delusional power struggle and opens eyes to the long string of crises before it. With the rupee in freefall and literally no changes in the economic balance, Pakistan is standing on the brink of default danger. However, we still cannot allow their good intentions to pave a pathway to hell.
Because if history has taught us one thing, even the worst of democracies creeps its way through one way or another and ergo, does not need any interventions. No matter what the official statements may proclaim, every player is secretly planning a breakthrough once the military boots make a landing. Thus, the onus now lies on the forces that be to stand back, not cherry-pick favourites and let the power of people sail through. *