A pause for reflection

The uptake of the Panama Papers issue by the Supreme Court sitting in Islamabad has broken the political logjam and set out a roadmap for the resolution of the matter once and for all. All stakeholders, but principally the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) led by the PM Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf led by Imran Khan have agreed to abide by the guidance of the Supreme Court. It is now for the parties to submit a mutually agreed set of Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the Commission — which they have failed to agree on consistently thus far — and in the event of their failing again the SC will decide a set of ToRs. At least in principle both parties have agreed to this matrix.



Having gone to the edge it is now a time for a demonstration of political maturity by all concerned. The SC has defined the rules of engagement and there now has to be a period of searching introspection, not an activity ever high on the political agenda but vital if this crucial matter pertinent to current and future governance and its quality — or lack of it — is ever to be resolved.

At the heart of the dispute is not only the Panama Papers but the entire issue of transparency and accountability in the political realm. If Pakistan is ever to advance beyond being a juvenile democracy then it has to go through the growing pains associated with an advancing maturity. There is no doubt that the capacity for such advancement is present, but in considerable doubt is whether the will to face the challenges of change is present in equal amount. The Supreme Court in moving as it has crafted an opportunity from a clear and present threat, a space in which negotiation, moderation and creative rather than destructive politics has a chance to prosper. Now is the time for maturity and if that means a re-jig of traditional positions then so be it. The Panama Papers may prove to be truly catalytic in more ways than one. There will be political winners and losers, and the Supreme Court has emerged as the determinant of a range of futures.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2016.

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