The president’s caveat going out to the nation via a recent interview to an American channel, that the failure of the new parliament to work with him would have catastrophic implications for democracy in Pakistan, is as ill-advised as was his Nov 3 imposition of emergency rule, the subsequent sacking of the higher court judges and the gagging of the independent media. The message emanating from last week’s corps commanders’ meeting at the GHQ, making it a point to deny that the army has distanced itself from the president, too, should be seen and judged as such.
Such disparaging signals coming at a time when a wary electorate has pinned its hopes on a democratic order emerging out of the chaos of the past many years must not be supported by anyone wishing for political stability in a country mired deep in conflict today.
The task ahead is a daunting one, and the challenges faced by the country are multi-faceted. It is time, for instance, the coalition partners started discussing ways and means to combat terrorism, inflation, the energy crisis and other issues affecting the lives of the people before public fatigue to their political causes sets in. There is a need to understand that the people’s support alone can help the politicians stand up to any pressure brought to bear on them from extra-constitutional quarters. For this, they will have to stay relevant to public needs and sentiments, and not only to their own political agenda.
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