KARACHI:
For the past many weeks, our government has been deeply embroiled in devising means to control the appointment and extension of the Chief Justice. A similar storm brews up every time there is a pending change of military leadership. Most unnecessarily, a constitutional clause has also been reportedly inserted to enable a person to enjoy three terms as a Prime Minister — only to push Pakistan back to medieval monarchy.
Needless to say, all these are selfish, undesirable and unethical practices. Their sole purpose is to buy personal loyalties to prolong one’s stay in power — if possible, forever. They may or may not appease individuals but surely cause harm to institutions. They have reduced the entire politics of Pakistan into ‘C’ category intriguing, scheming and plotting. The government has no time to think and plan for the betterment of Pakistan and its people.
Now imagine if we completely eliminate the very concept and practice of all extensions for all individuals of all institutions. Let the Chief Justices and the Military Chiefs always be automatically replaced by the next senior-most person, with no intervention from the government. Let us place more faith in our institutions and less on our personal preferences. Limit the Prime Minister’s (and the President’s) job to one term only. This way every Prime Minister will need to show performance in his first and only tenure, without the need or the greed to be constantly engaged in devious manipulations. Pakistan needs to depoliticise, rebuild and strengthen its institutions. Our politics (and destiny) could change radically if the government was to completely disengage itself from its eternal and dubious maneuvering for the next Chief’s appointment, and instead focus on the development and wellbeing of its citizens.
Naeem Sadiq
Karachi
