A political deadlock

There appears to be no intention by the PM to be in any way publicly accountable to any institution of state

The announcement shortly after noon on May 13 that Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali is rejecting the government request to form a “toothless commission” to investigate the Panama Papers affair is on reflection no surprise. Sifting through the reams of commentary on how the Panama Papers have impacted the politics of Pakistan, there have been several references to the need for way-paving legislation prior to the formation of a judicial commission of inquiry, and the chief justice has now lobbed the ball squarely into the parliamentary court. We support his decision.

The chief justice in his letter of rejection further said that no judicial commission can be formed until the ToRs are agreed, and that goes to the heart of the political deadlock that currently paralyses governance. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had already said that he would not attend the house on May 13 as previously announced, and would be there on May 16 instead. The prime minister further said that he was “not accountable to the opposition” and that he would not be answering in parliament the seven questions the opposition had for him as well as a host of supplementary questions.

All this begs the question as to who or what the prime minister is answerable to. There appears to be no intention by him to be in any way publicly accountable to any institution of state. He appears to have placed himself above and beyond accountability at the same time as saying that he would step down if found guilty of any wrongdoing. His words are worthless given that he and his party of close associates have virtually ensured that the means to investigate the Panama Papers can never come into being. The government and the opposition parties are completely deadlocked on the matter of the ToRs, the opposition is boycotting parliament until the prime minister shows up to answer their questions and he is unequivocal in saying that he has no intention of acceding to opposition demands. A perfect storm of dogmatism, evasiveness and bargain-basement politicking. The ball is now in the parliamentary court, and governance dangerously close to grinding to a shuddering halt.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2016.

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