What purpose is served by this senseless barrage of accusations and counteraccusations by the leaders of the PML-N and the PTI? This country needs a government of honest people, not of men who consider themselves bigger than institutions and are unwilling to submit to the supremacy of constitution and accountability. The only sane voice I have heard so far is that of Afzal Sindhu who has publicly stated that such politics is in bad taste. If saner elements had prevailed in the PML-N and the PTI, and personal egos and biases not assumed priority over more pressing problems that Pakistan today faces, politics in this country would have been healthier and beneficial for people, who are supposed to be the main beneficiaries of a democratic political process. For a nation living in darkness, without electricity, jobs and security of life, such pointless waste of time by politicians does not bode well for the future of democracy.
Instead of discussing the economic quagmire that this country has been pushed into by a corrupt and incompetent coalition government and its predecessor military junta, the opposition parties are busy in abusing each other. What this country needs is an honest upright individual, a man like the Quaid-e-Azam, who may not necessarily be religious, but must definitely have the credibility and vision to gather together a team of honest, committed and able men to guide this country.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
*****
The date for the next general elections is yet to be announced and our political parties have started what has seemingly become their tradition – the blame game. Not a single party, even from among the opposition’s camp, seems mature enough to win the public’s support with rational debate on real issues. Character assassination of the opponent is the easiest, and probably the only, way Pakistani politicians know to keep themselves in headlines.
On the other hand, despite all the pressure and criticism, the PPP comes across as the only party with patience. It knows the art of contesting elections and moulding public opinion in its favour. Come election and it will go to people with the slogan of ‘jiye Bhutto’ and the list of the sacrifices offered by the Bhuttos. This tactic has successfully mobilised the jiyalas in every past election. The PPP is working on the same policy once again and this could lead it to another victory over the opposition parties which are busy in providing fodder for newspapers.
Sohail Rashid
Rawalpindi
*****
At a time when the PPP-led coalition government is facing one crisis after another, and its chances of wining the next elections are slim, the PTI led by Imran Khan and the only opposition party in parliament, the PML-N, are slugging it out, exhausting their energies on each other. The task which destiny seems to have placed on their shoulders looks too much for them to handle. Nothing could be more pleasing for the PPP, whose performance in the past four years has been miserable.
And yet, the two political parties which can offer it any formidable opposition in the next elections are busy flinging mud at each other. Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif need to realise that they are getting into a quagmire which will damage both of them and perhaps benefit the PPP and its coalition partners.
M T Ali
Lahore