Term Limits

My best friend does not know my name. He does not know whether I am Pakistani or Korean, Shia or Sunni, Catholic or atheist, rich or poor. He does not even know if I speak English or Punjabi or neither. He does not care if I have black hair or blonde or if the skin on my face is spotless or dotted with freckles. My best friend is a toy poodle. When I first got him, he was only two months old. He is older than me now (in dog age). He weighs about eight pounds. His name is Napoleon. My daughter, about ten at the time, suggested his name because we had stayed at Hotel Napoleon in Paris, a short walk to the Arc de Triomphe, before we adopted him as a member of our family. He loves to watch TV, especially commercials, but he likes to shy away from politics. Best of all, he refuses to discuss Pakistani politics with me even if I offer him a treat. Can you blame him?

No two ways about it — we are on a slippery slope. The cracks in our political landscape are widening. Let’s talk about it. But where should we start? The controversial audio leaks that exposed the dark side of our political heroes? Their hushed conversations and conniving jibber-jabber that reminded us of Iago from Shakespeare’s Othello? “But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at. I am not what I am.” Oh yes, much like our politicians, Iago was not what he appeared to be. He was secretly conspiring, with unrelenting resolve, to dismantle Othello.

Or should we speak of political marketing — a strategic marketing of “truths” and “untruths” in a world reincarnated by social media? Or the impending homecoming of Nawaz Sharif, a veteran stalwart whose reputation is as tainted as water in our pipelines? Or the unending tantrums of Imran Khan — the pious hypocrite who thinks no end of himself? The acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the money laundering case? Future of Pakistan’s democracy? The legacy of General Bajwa? The resurgence of TTP in K-P? We have been dealing with the lies of our leaders for so long, we are at the end of our tether. Our social fabric being ripped at every corner, it is hard to remain calm.

As narrated in Lincoln’s Yarns and Stories, Abraham Lincoln was taken by surprise one day when a forbidding man with a rugged countenance drew a revolver and held it against his face. Abe, as Lincoln was called, tried to keep his cool. “What seems to be the matter?” he asked the man. “Well,” replied the stranger, “some years ago I swore an oath that if I ever came across an uglier man than myself, I’d shoot him on the spot.” Abe, much relieved, calmly glanced at the man with the revolver. “Shoot me,” said Abe, “for if I am an uglier man than you, I don’t want to live.” This is the man who was entrusted with a seemingly insurmountable task of keeping the Union together.

Bound by a system of checks and balances, US presidents come and go. They are limited to two terms in office. With Nawaz reportedly coming back to Pakistan, Imran jockeying for power by hook or by crook, and Zardari eyeing the situation from a comfortable distance keeping his cards close to his chest, is it about time that we put a limit on our PMs and Presidents to serve only two 4-year terms and no more? A PM has to maintain the support of the National Assembly but this, in and by itself, is not a good enough reason to argue against term limits especially in a country where political corruption is rampant. In a culture where powerful individuals repeatedly rise above the system, I would even propose term limits for our senators and National Assembly members. No more than two terms for the members and no more than two 6-year terms for the senators. Additionally, candidates must be barred from contesting from more than one constituency in any election.

Term limits will prevent the President or the PM from amassing too much power. It will minimise, if not avert, the chance of a self-serving zealot becoming a despot. We don’t need a powerful leader; we need a powerful system. A system that promotes education and healthcare and high infrastructure development. A system that puts a damper on elite capture. A system that guarantees everyone equal protection and due process of law. A system that does not suppress dissent and freedom of speech.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2022.

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