Head of PPP Media Cell
Ominous black clouds are hovering thick and fast over the nuance democracy in the country. The heartthrob of the people gets faster with the fear emanating from the assertions of the typical politicians, speakers, media persons and others who are crying horse begging for the institutional unconstitutional interference in the political domain. They should be made to bite the dust because all such interventions in the past had caused invariably irreparable and nightmarish losses to the nation. Yet, their malevolence campaign against democracy is fundamentally presumed as doing the bidding of those who are not well-wishers of Pakistan. It warrants institutional response to address the fears and confusion of the people that have overtaken them. Lingering silence is bound to raise the ante.
Their search for Bushman’s arrow in the hay stack to hunt down democracy must end in failure with humiliation. These tainted elements must not succeed who are pinning their hopes in the anticipated chaos and destabilisation. They are the purveyors of trepidation hell bound to strip off the dreams of the people. Their mindset has no capacity to go beyond their personal fixations. The candid clarification by ISPR, without if and but, reiterating unqualified institutional commitment to democracy will serve enough deterrence to their outlandish platitudes. Comfort of the people is the worthwhile proposition indeed.
Silence may be broken because it emboldens the proponents of dooms and glooms to carry on their frenzy of playing on the fear of the people. They are the worst enemy. Much more dangerous than the external one, and deserve to be treated as such. They must be denied the opportunity to have the last laugh. Uncertainty and its continuity are bound to sharpen their appetite.
They must not be underestimated, and the pro-democratic forces should huddle together to browbeat these humbugs with the wand of their total commitment to democracy. Their declaration of solidarity will be enough to get the winds out of their sails forcing them to remain embroiled in the tempestuous waters with ill-aboding denouements.
Sadly, the ruling party has been, in a way, co-sponsoring the activities of the enemy of political system surely by default. They should instead come forward with innovative political initiatives to fizzle out the tension instead of pushing the situation towards the duel to the end. They have failed so far to find convergence and get the country out of the lingering political crisis that will definitely loom larger with the passing of each day. The government party has the solution to turn the tide to land at the tranquil shores. But, its unflinching obstinacy towards the ToRs has led to the stalemate. Its continuity has exacerbated the situation as the political parties are knocking at the doors of judiciary and Election Commission of Pakistan seeking disqualifications of each other. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s ruling on references of political opponents has added fuel to the fire.
Some of them have resorted to the street agitation as a last resort while others may be flexing their muscles. This must be replaced with the earnest desire for peaceful co-existence because all other roads lead to the collective political kamikaze. God forbid, the tragic end of the democratic era in the country will be the worst case scenario, and the contemporary public figures will be solely held responsible indiscriminately. The resultant political whirlpool will choke all of them with no prospects of resuscitation. The nation does not deserve the revisiting of tale of hubris yet again.
Fair-minded people must be wondering as what has gone wrong with the sense of good judgment of those who have been mandated to work for the good of the people? Their unabated bellicosity and procrastination on Panama Papers presumably suggest their hands are stained with the amassing of ill-gotten fortune. But, at present, it seems that trivial political considerations have also infatuated most of the political class with a few exceptions. Proclivity for settling political scores is deadly in a democratic dispensation, in particular. Pakistan is at the crossroads and political leadership needs to tread very carefully and prove their statesmanship by getting the country out of the looming crisis. Political leadership of substance turns the adversity into an opportunity. So, the political leadership of all hues is on notice on this count.
This time, the external dangers emanating from the regional and international geo-politics pose credible challenge that requires matching ingenuity with seriousness to steer the country out of the choppy waters. Only continuity of democratic dispensation will have the sinews and tendons to bulwark the onslaught of such predictable and unpredictable dangers. The destabilisation in the country, be aware, may force the friends of this country to look for other options in the face of growing political and economic mess. The enemy of this country will be emboldened to take full advantage of our stupidities and fool-hardiness.
The political leadership of the country should formulate the course of action in the context of the US National Council of Intelligence’s disturbing observations on the future of Pakistan. These should open the eyes of all those who really care for Pakistan and its people. The events unfolding in the country, unfortunately, point out to the trends pinpointed.
Altaf Hussain’s invective against Pakistan state, Indian interference in Balochistan, US widening strategic partnership with India, declining exports and remittances and the curse of extremism and terrorism, impression of Pakistan as proponent of terrorism rather its victim and the last but not the least politicians getting to each other’s throats, are not good omen for the future of the country. A divided nation is bound to fall on its own sword. Those who continue to make the waters murkier should certainly be deemed as doing the bidding of those who are on the other side of the fence expecting the rocking of the boat sooner than later. These naysayers must be defeated along with their patrons who are here again in the veneer of savior. But, they are the emblem of destabilisation, darkness and destruction mired in parochial fixations.
The PPP will surely stand up to these forces while keeping the flag of democracy hoisting no matter what. It seems it is going to play an important role yet again of ensuring democracy to stay put on upward trajectory. It played the leading role earlier as well when former President Asif Ali Zardari reached out to the politicians across all differences to galvanise support to stand up against the onslaught of the anti-democratic forces. The joint session of Parliament at the advice of the PPP hit the last nail in the coffin of the enemies of democracy. The PPP successfully managed to break the back of the camel although it was well fed to cope with the arduous journey.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto, Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and the PPP cannot afford to see the ugly derailment of democracy because it was the legacy of the “Great Bhuttos” who nurtured it with their blood. It was the supreme cause then, and continues to remain supreme cause now and will remain so for all times. The PPP leadership and PPP cannot think of compromising on their much cherished legacy. The PPP, heir to their legacy (democracy), had proved its mettle through thick and thin. Such pursuit, no matter how torturous it may be, was considered as one of article of PPP’s political struggle solely to empower the people of Pakistan.
Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah is a parliamentarian of substance who truly articulates the PPP leadership’s thinking in letter and spirit at all public forums. He has been serving as a great equaliser and stabiliser in the House as an Opposition Leader. His presence in the House ensures the smooth sailing despite the usual boycotts, booing and wailing those are not uncharacteristic in the elected parliaments all over the world. His words are very reassuring for the people implying the continuity of democracy is the PPP’s top priority. PPP will not be in cahoots with those who are deemed dangers to democracy. His sense of timing and deciphering the political currents and undercurrents are equally amazing. He knows the timing of plugging in and out.
PPP, undoubtedly, is all out for accountability of the prime minister and members of his family considering indispensability of democracy and accountability. PPP’s putting pressure on the prime minister to get himself cleared of the allegations contained in Panama Papers is quite in accordance with the Charter of Democracy (COD) that ordained to eliminate the menace of corruption in all walks of national life. The incumbent prime minister, being one of the signatories must honor his commitment and present himself as above all suspicions as the trustee of the highest public office as well.
At the same time, PPP cannot afford to lose the sight of the indispensability of democracy and its longevity. Panama Papers investigation must be carried out thoroughly and comprehensively within the exigencies of democratic dispensation. PPP’s utmost endeavour will be to force the government to make meaningful political move and thus ward off the looming dangers emanating from those who are desperate to enter the corridors of power regardless of the nature of means. Time will bear witness to the PPP’s unflinching commitment to democracy, and its culmination in the form of its promotion and continuity. Restoration of it is no more an option for the PPP but its continuity is. Others should step in the shoes of the PPP for the same reason.
muhammadshaheediyahoo.com