Justice and credibility of the judiciary may be at stake after the video leak explicitly implying that Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik was blackmailed to give verdict against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who is now in jail as a result. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has hit the right chord by appealing to the institution of judiciary to take notice of it because the administration of justice is at stake that is too worthwhile cause that must not be subjected to blackmail or intimidation from any quarter. It may be recalled that such pressures in the past had led to the cascade of ravages on the collective destiny of the state of Pakistan that included its dismemberment. The evolution of the democratic institutions also hit wall inflicting irreparable losses to the federation -- the hangover of those still hounding the country. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto candidly observed and reiterated the maxim: ‘justice not only be done but also be seen to be done’ adding the state institutions should function within the ambit of the Constitution.
The judge lately refuted the allegations leveled by the PML-N leader and claimed that the referred video was fake. All the pressing reasons for the judiciary are to probe the allegations in the largest interest of justice.
There are no dull moments in the politics of this country though generally for the wrong reasons. Judging from the emerging perception flying thick and fast, the arrest of Rana Sanaullah --- PML-N’s fierce critic of the incumbent government -- has not surprised many as the spat of targeting the Opposition leaders has been going on in perpetuity since the PTI leadership took the reign of the country. The subject political leader was earlier quoted by prominent journalists and anchor persons as having disclosed his apprehensions of his possible arrest because the government had no stomach to digest his sharp-edged criticism of its leadership and policies. His arrest last week in a drug case had proved that his apprehensions were correct.
However, the arrest of Rana Sanaullah in drug case last week seems the awkward and bumbling attempt to malign the leader who is least expected to get involved in such a petty and criminal activity of grotesque nature by virtue of being a well-known lawyer and former law minister knowing fully well its dangerous implications to the party and his political career. It is hard to find takers of the case that is being considered as part of political victimisation. The release of photo of the PML-N leader standing behind bars may reflects the perfidious mala fides of the government of not hesitating in crossing all limits when the humiliation of the political leadership standing on the other side of the equation is concerned. It seems another ugly chapter of political witch-hunting is being added by this government. The political history of this country is riddled with the phases of such sordid political trends that bitterly hurt the evolution of political process in the country notwithstanding causing the irreparable damages to the integrity of the country causing national humiliations and indignities. It suggests that the leadership of the PTI may have not learnt the lesson from the history as it seemingly following the redundant and dangerous paths of bare-knuckled world of politics. Those who refuse to learn from history are bound to repeat the past mistakes only to spill doom and gloom.
Sadly, the government has seemingly given the message to political opponents, loud and clear, that it is quite capable of going to any extent in forcing them to silence. PML-N leaders have been crying hoarse of political witch hunting of its leaders but to no avail. They do not hesitate in maligning the prime minister in case of Rana Sanaullah’s arrest. The government spokesman had understandably denied the allegation of the PML-N leadership but the general perception still hung in the air right across questioning the veracity of the whole saga that was seemingly flawed beyond recognition. The way he was arrested caste reasonable doubts on the culpability of the offence of drug trafficking.
The PTI government and its leadership are seemingly engaged in riffling the feathers of all segments of the society in general and the Opposition leaders in particular in its misplaced quest to have open field to play with impunity. The strategy may be ill-conceived and such is not going to see the light of the day in totality for being both myopic and cynical. It is not possible to silence the dissent voices even in fragile democracy like in Pakistan not to speak of the immense potential and outreach of the digital age so far as the dissemination of information is concerned within no time. For example, the people and indeed the whole world know as what is the gist of the interview of the former president and the PPP co-chairman given to Hamid Mir that was put off the TV screen under the government instructions. The cost/benefit analysis of the decision smacks of the sense of proportion of the government leaders of appalling proportion that presumably sought refuge in “censorship”. The decision heavily tilted against government by any criterion. The media organisations of the world detested the government action bringing the government and its leadership in disrepute without a shred of doubt. It may be impossible to find even a single comment endorsing the official decision to black out the interview. The pitfalls may continue to surface in the future as well wherever the narrative on freedom of speech and media is under discussion at all related forums. The hurting of government’s democratic credentials as collateral is inevitable because in democracy freedom of speech and media are sine qua non.
Pakistan, regretfully, today presents the picture of getting to each other throats in public is common than exception. The alacrity is not showing any sign of abating, and indeed intensifying to the frustration of the people. Unfortunately, those who may contribute to bring normalcy qualitatively have been leading the furor, reasons best known to them. They have seemingly reduced the Parliament as a dormant forum and indeed wrestling pitch eclipsing the parliamentary politics to the hilt. Top leadership of the major political parties is either in jail or facing cases initiated under the so-called accountability process mired grotesquely in alleged political victimisation.
Media is under tacit threat and gasping for breath. Renowned journalists of the country and media organisations are feeling insecure professionally and financially. The voices coming from right across clamoring the country is no more a ‘free country ‘is heart-wrenchingly bad news for the image of the county. Traders and industrialists are furious over the current budget that is like slamming the sledgehammer on their toes notwithstanding the fear of haunting by the FBR and the NAB. The poor people’s subsistence level is in acute danger due to the almost double digit inflation, known as tax on them. Unemployment is bound to rise exponentially due to drastic reduction in PSDP entailing the projection of 2.5% GDP. Millions of people may fall below the poverty line correspondingly as predicted by renowned economists, Dr Hafeez Pasha and others. The political economy’s indicators offer no comfort to all and sundry who are finding it difficult to make their both ends meet. One wonders as whose cause the incumbent government is serving any way. The PTI leaders and its supporters are increasingly seeking shelter in invisibility because they are not in a position to answer the piercing questions of the people who were presumably hoodwinked by them with tall promises of bringing considerable improvement in the quality of their lives. Instead, they are worse off, and their hopes of better days have been dwindled altogether as the prices of the goods of common man’s basket have already skyrocketed.
No rocket science. Economic development and political stability are intertwined because these supplement the cause of each other. Oddly, the PTI government seemingly considers otherwise. Perhaps it is seeking to usher an era of political stability by putting all the political opponents in jail. The argument may look poppycock. Strangely, the PTI leadership is least interested in forging political consensus in the country so critical to overcome the multiple challenges facing the country. It has rather embarked upon pushing the Opposition against the wall in its bid to accrue enough space to implement its whatever agenda. This approach optimises the short-sightedness in this country’s political environment. Its culmination may surely fall in the realm of improbability because Pakistan’s vibrant civil society and the formidable Opposition may surely not allow such juggernaut of fascist nature. The Constitution of the country provides for the establishment of a progressive and democratic welfare Islamic state as envisioned by the Father of the nation.
Regretfully, the political prudence of the Opposition not to launch full-throttled protest movement against the government for the time being has been construed as a sign of weakness by the PTI leadership as its victimisation drive is rather gaining momentum. The miscalculation may cost dearly to the PTI leadership because the Opposition is quite capable of pulling large number of people to the streets enough to upstage government sooner than later. The Opposition top priority is saving the continuity of the democracy and the incumbent Parliament as stated by Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari while responding to a question outside the Accountability Court in the recent past. His assertion might surely include the ouster of the incumbent prime minister who may be increasingly becoming unbearable and unaffordable liability for the nation and the country.
muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com
