Punjab puzzle

Political heat in Punjab has pushed back the chillness of weather. The fate of not only the Punjab Assembly hangs in balance but also the chief ministership of Pervez Elahi. There is a serious constitutional row, and confusion reigns supreme. The Punjab Governor’s order to seek a vote of confidence, coupled with the opposition legislators’ separate no-trust motion against Elahi, has complicated the mosaic of governance. The stance from the Speaker that the Governor’s orders are “illegal and against the provisions of the Constitution” have pitched the decorum for a plausible intervention. With the Federation mulling Governor’s rule, it seems a possible de-notification of the chief executive will plunge the province in utter chaos and pestering instability.

The good point, however, is that both the warring parties are holding their horses. Hectic political activity is unnerving the already fragile situation, and it surely will have a negative impact. The PDM has, nonetheless, found a rare chance to install their government in Punjab if a couple of ruling dispensation MPAs could be opted out of their vote, in case it is conducted on the floor of the house. Likewise, extreme positions call for sealing the CM House, a move that would land with the court of law. The PTI’s tapping on the door of the Presidency is also in sight.

It’s a déjà vu for the biggest province of the country as during the last six months it has been home to two similar situations. The PTI’s decision to go for the dissolution of the house and that too after a stop-gap pause, wherein it wanted to capitalise for political gains with the powers-that-be, is at the root-cause of the dispute. It is high time serenity set in, and the fate of legality and public rule was sorted out in all amicability. The country is already on the verge of economic degeneration, and the situation calls for political decisions that are mature and forward-looking. Creating room for misadventures will render a devastating setback.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2022.

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