Head of PPP Media Cell
Supremacy of the rule of law has been terribly trampled upon by the government at the altar of political expediency by allowing the former dictator to proceed abroad who has been facing many cases including one under the Article 6 of the Constitution.
Some religious/political forces are also up in the arms to demonstrate their utter contempt and aversion to democracy and rule of law by opposing the recent Women Protection Law and the implementation of the apex court’s decision of upholding the capital punishment of the murderer. The Women Protection Law has been passed with overwhelming majority by the Punjab Assembly and yet these forces have given the ultimatum to the government to withdraw it failing which it will be “pulled down” to the ground with the street power. It is abundantly clear that they believe in strong arms tactics and hold disdain for the peoples’ rule and their elected institutions. Perhaps, it is their sheer desperation to remain somewhat relevant but their tactics will earn ire of the people than support. Their support base in the country has already been shrunk to an embarrassing level as their modest presence in the assemblies is the testimony to their worth.
The history of elections in the country bears it out quite clearly. Yet their obsession to impose their retrogressive narrative is unrelenting. They will ironically continue to tread on the beaten tracks despite the predictable negative consequences.The silent majority of the country, civil society, media and the government have to show spine to frustrate the bellicosity of the anti-people forces those are bent upon to impose their righteousness at the gun point.
The time is right that the democratic and progressive political forces get together putting aside their political differences and express solidarity with the Women Protection Law. They should realise the gravity of the situation and spring into action to pre-empt the situation from going bad to worse. The stakes are high. No single political party can solve the problems facing the country, repeatedly declare the politicians of all hues of this country. But their talk hardly walks. Ironically, their repeated assertions sound more platitudes than serious thinking for being devoid of precipitation to formulate a coherent strategy to address the challenges holistically. The PPP government led by Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani did practice and promoted the politics of consensus and reconciliation leading to amazing outcomes of the parliamentary politics. It resolved the chronic issues those were either the making of the successive dictators but failed to address due to their ambivalence emanating from the apprehensions of the resultant backlash challenging the perpetuity of their illegitimate rule. But, the enactment of 18th Amendment and the 7th National Finance Award with consensus and other landmark amendments in the Constitution were the result of the politics of consensus that had left pleasing impact on the federation and the political system alike. It also positively reflected on the ability of the politicians to address the very complicated and long standing issues of national importance by using the forum of Parliament. Now, the repute of ruling party is at stake because building political consensus is primarily lies on its shoulders.
The nation had paid very heavy price of the politics of confrontation between the two major political parties in the past. The country cannot afford its revisiting because it was then preceded by dictatorship that kept the country under its tight grip for about a decade or so. The politics of ninety’s is the bitter reminder of the past that nudged the country to the brink of disaster. That period should be kept in mind as the relic of the past only with the firm resolve to follow the democratic ethos in letter and spirit. Repeating the history will not save politicians of the indictment of an embodiment of naivety and inaptness. Any degree of inclination in the prohibitive direction is bound to entail pitfalls in the form of further tarnishing their image as being obstinate and ego-centric and lack the capacity to learn from the past mistakes. This is not acceptable when the country is facing formidable existential threat more so from within and also without. This period is most difficult period for the nation and they must rise to the occasion with unity and clarity sooner than later and spare no effort in freeing the country out of the vicious cycle of extremism and terrorism and abject poverty. All the more reasons they should focus to wash the stigma of useless lot of “bloody civilians” by energising the governance destined to serve the citizenry. They must stand tall to deliver with vision and build a tolerant, affluent, peaceful and plural Pakistan.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto while addressing the International symposium recently in Islamabad also underscored the importance of the unity of the major political parties, PML-N, PPP and PTI and beyond by implication. Their unity can perform wonders, he maintained, in all walks of national life. He is hundred per cent right because the gravity of multiple challenges facing the country cannot be addressed by the government alone. Therefore, party politics’ considerations should be kept at bay for few years. At the same time, the government should reach out to the opposition parties for benefiting from the collective wisdom. The political parties on their part should not hesitate in extending their qualified support on issues as agreed upon for the interest of democracy.
The government is advised to take the leaf from the history of PPP previous government during which it promoted the politics of consensus and reconciliation as bequeathed by Mohtarma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to extricate the country from the quagmire of vicious circle of political, social and economic problems.
Without the policy of reconciliation the PPP government would have never completed the constitutional term, the first time in the history of the country. Its pursuit on sustainable basis will also ensure the continuity of the political system ushering in an era of political stability so important for the federation and the socio-economic development of the people. The abandoning of policy of reconciliation will embolden the creeping in of the lobby that is known for taking plunge to fill the vacuum created by the infighting of the politicians. Look out and must not lower the guards.
muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com
