Leader of the opposition in the Upper House of Parliament Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan maintained that an impression was being created that the rulers have started targeting a single province and a party (PPP), which would neither be helpful for the federal government nor for the democratic system.He raised the issue on a point of order during the Senate proceeding at the Parliament House. He accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of pursing the politics of 1990s while targeting the PPP under the guise of accountability. Aitzaz said that he was not against accountability but it should be across the board without any discrimination. He pointed out that the arrest of a former PPP senator, Dr Asim Hussain, and getting his 90-day remand on terrorism charges was totally discriminatory. “Had he been a PPP minister, he would have gone to the prison by giving explanation after explanation,” he said without naming anybody, adding the government also needed to come up with an explanation about the irregularities in the power projects. “Similarly, no action has been taken against those politicians nominated in the Asghar Khan case,” he added. Accountability seems to be the slogan each party is raising. The only caveat is that neither is proposing an adequate system to combat corruption and terrorism. The assumption appears to be that the task of accountability will be handed to paramilitary forces and the bureaucracy, which spells serious dangers for the future of Pakistan’s democracy. In Punjab, a number of PTI candidates have withdrawn in favour of key PML-N candidates, while the PTI Lahore leadership is alleging harassment at the hands of the PML-N. This already creates space for another set of preemptive rigging claims by the PTI. The Punjab chief minister has continued to say that the ruling party rules selflessly, a claim that goes against the massive overspending in vanity projects such as the metro-bus project when the provision of basic amenities remains a question. The PTI is pushing for restarting the National Assembly session before the NA-122 polls which would require election of a new NA speaker but the PPP has refused to play along. The NA looks set for a major delay of 73 days before the next session comes into play. This doesn’t reflect well on the political leadership of the country. Even NAP meetings have been heavier on the side of the military but Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar seems confident as far as rhetoric goes. The PML-N may no longer be as impenetrable as it claims to be. The Sharifs have continued to run the country in a family and friends-first mode of governance which has meant low levels of infighting. Fissures are starting to emerge; we saw Shahbaz Sharif and Khwaja Asif take shots at each other only last week. There is a larger spectre looming: the army’s return to popularity. With local bodies polls in Punjab and Sindh just around the corner, all political parties are attempting to consolidate themselves. This is probably one of the last chances the PPP has to show that it is not a fading force. The PTI too has a chance to prove its self-perceptions of popularity. The PML-N, however, is looking to consolidate its dominance in Punjab; but it is barely looking beyond the province, raising questions again of a Punjab bias in Pakistan’s governance. In the context of the International Day of Democracy, which was observed on September 15, Pakistani politicians and leaders must take a step back to think where they have failed and where they are headed.
pk.shafaqna.com
