Need for talks

Political polarisation with the passage of time is deepening the crisis. To further compound the situation is the persisting altercation between institutions, as the constitutional writ is being defied with impunity. While there is always a debate in democracy among state institutions, as is the case these days with the parliament trying to reinforce itself and the judiciary making an earnest effort to sift through its lawful domain, the stipulated dictates of the constitution, nonetheless, must be upheld in all sincerity. This is where the problem of Pakistan’s representative rule lies today as the order of the Supreme Court to hold elections in two provinces is being thrown to the wind. As the ruling dispensation apparently sits in contempt of court, furthering the jittery course could lead to extra-constitutional measures, and this is what is in need of being avoided.

There are saner elements, though. One such voice is from the ruling coterie as ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi foresees a military takeover if the current crisis of confidence among institutions is not ironed out. Here exists a situation to which he has rightly pinpointed: the apex court has called on all political parties to decide among themselves a date for elections, or the court would itself take a call. This is tantamount to inviting trouble if the orders of the judiciary are not met in real time. The government’s mindset to look the other way round is unwarranted, and sounds brinkmanship. The eventuality could be either the court dictating the army to step in to defuse the crisis and implement the constitution, or the latter going astray on its own course of action. The foresight is correct: “the army has intervened in the past in much less severe circumstances…” It must be taken as the writing on the wall.

The only way out is to initiate a dialogue, and that too on a serious premise to make it result-oriented. The coalition parties and the PTI must talk it out. There is no other recourse but to huddle and chalk out a strategy, if representative rule has to survive.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2023.

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