Crossing of swords

Political bickering has taken a new twist. It seems the Federation and Punjab are bent upon opting for legal muscles in coercing their adversaries. The arrest of several PTI leaders, in an alleged foreign funding case, and the issuance of arrest warrant against the interior minister by a Rawalpindi court, and summoning of former Punjab Assembly deputy speaker by the anti-corruption department are tit-for-tat measures leading to abject instability and chaos. These developments are detrimental to not only social solidarity but also the economy, which is in a crash-out mode.

Thus, in the absence of an immediate retreat from the brink and confidence building measures by stakeholders across the board, the situation seems alarming enough for a devastating showdown. The crossing of swords has been evident for the last many days as the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are being sealed with containers.

The capital gives a look of a dry dock, as confiscated trucks laden with containers pile all around. Likewise, the Interior Ministry’s letter to the Election Commission to further postpone the upcoming bye-polls on fears of lawlessness are nervous indicators, and go on to establish that some substantial political decisions are needed to usher in normalcy. The government must focus its energies on finding a viable political solution, and merely administrative intimidation is not sufficient.

Talking it out with the agitating opposition is highly recommended, and this should not be seen as a surrender. The Moody’s downgrading of Pakistan and the discord that has set in with the IMF are serious concerns, and do not bode well with the future of the country. A possible default in the next few months could be on the cards if balance of payments and remittances take a new plunge. The next few days are crucial as PTI contemplates marching on Islamabad and the government reacts with a sense of unrelenting adamantism. Some plausible middle ground is the only way out, and the sooner it is opted for, is better.