LAHORE: The controversial memo, written by the clearly publicity-hungry Mansoor Ijaz has made the whole nation a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. And we deserve this ridicule because one man has made at least two of our state institutions dance to his tune. Of course, he was helped in this by ‘experts’ and commentators in the media who seem to have a thorough dislike for Asif Zardari and in particular Husain Haqqani.
Instead of waiting for the National Assembly’s committee to probe into the memo, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif rushed to the Supreme Court to submit a petition. Perhaps he did this with the ulterior motive of mending his strained relationship with the establishment but this showed his foolishness. Now, he will be repenting his decision like his many other decisions in the past.
As for the superior judiciary, there are many who think that it shouldn’t even have entertained Nawaz Sharif’s petition because the case was already being examined by a committee constituted for precisely that purpose by the National Assembly.
My question is to the establishment: why cannot it let an elected government complete its term in office and allow the people of Pakistan to use their right to vote and bring in a new government of their liking? Why can’t the civil-military imbalance be righted by both sides respecting theor constitutional boundaries and mandates? And why cant our generals accept the fact that the people of Pakistan should have the right to elect their governments and that these should be sovereign?
S T Hussain
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012.
