Far shy of 50

Each passing day is adding to the troubles of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The Rafique brothers have been NABbed at last, Hamza Shehbaz is thrown on the no-fly list, a charge sheet against Marriyum Aurangzeb is readied by NAB, and the sword of Damocles, according to PTI leader Usman Dar, hangs over Khawaja Asif’s head.

With the activities of Nawaz Sharif, the disqualified party chief, only restricted to attending court cases, his political heir-apparent Maryam Nawaz maintaining a quietude and Shehbaz Sharif, the party president, in the firm grip of the accountability watchdog, all is not well for the country’s main opposition party.

“The count is yet to touch 50,” says Fawad Chaudhry, the information minister, during a TV talk show, in a sarcastic reminder of the figure his leader, Prime Minister Imran Khan, thinks should be in jail, indicating that the worst is yet to come. The minister has a lot of such witty, jaw-breaking ripostes to his credit, but they have only served to intensify the war of words between the ruling party and the opposition.

The deepening polarisation, as a result, has not only brought the legislation business in parliament to a halt, it is also serving to distract the government’s attention — in an imperceptible way — from its main job of improving governance, reviving the economy, strengthening state institutions and building bridges with neighbours.

It would be in the government’s own interest to avoid such frequent slanging matches and let NAB handle the matters related to accountability, which, by the way, does come up with a reply when needed.

“As you sow, so shall you reap” comes the message from the NAB chairman “for those who have ruled the country over the last 30 years”.

The message carries an assertion between the lines that the accountability net thrown by NAB is sparing none. The assertion serves to address what the NAB chief calls an aggressive propaganda of political victimisation launched by those involved in corruption, accumulating assets beyond means, and abusing authority for monetary gains.

While those involved in corruption and malpractices must undergo legal processes, the NAB chief must ensure that the whole NAB activity must not appear reserved for the opposition.