SC conviction of Yusuf Raza Gilani

Monday, April 30, 2012 - An admirably comprehensive examination of the Supreme Court verdict on Mr Yusuf Raza Gilani was made by inimitable Kamran Khan in his TV programme, a few others followed that independent presentation of the verdict but others in their usual style of the sohists talked like six of one and half a dozen of the other. Of course the PPP Jiyalas did what is now their well known style. It is unfortunate that in democracy- even a lame democracy there can exist Jiyalas which is a shadow of the Black Shirts after a democratic regime is in existence, howsoever weak or inefficient it is. Settling issues between political parties through blood shed in the streets is not a democratic tradition particularly against the highest court of the country. It is in this connection that Kamran Khan counted several examples in the West where from the President to ministers accused persons resigned instead of trying the matter in the Courts. High national offices have a certain dignity and affect national dignity, not just that person. The only person who stuck to the last on a facing the accusations of misuse of power was President Richard Nixon. He left the office weeping no I am no cheat. Whatever the West may be in relation to the Third world, howsoever abominable but internally there traditions do have an element of morality and dignity of the office.

In Japan public offices holders are so self respecting that they will commit suicide on any matter causing them shame on a performance by their office even not by themselves. I remember when I was in Tokyo the Fire Chief of a Fire Extinguishing Department committed hara kiri on a huge burning of a section of the city on the inability of the fire brigade although he was the ultimate chief and not that locality chief. Perhaps such great office holders as Prime Minister and Presidents in Pakistan also act on this western tradition, from where they are aping democracy, of resigning when a national scandal becomes public controversy. It is against national dignity to start controversy on the Supreme Court. Those who take the view that the last word in disqualification of prime minister is to come from the Speaker subscribe to the totalitarian concept that Party is above courts and justice is what serves the interest of the party. This is not acceptable to any modern western democracy of which we are a carbon copy of a sort still.

After he was convicted by the Supreme Court even for those few seconds he became a convicted person. Mr Yusuf Raza Gilani ceased to be an office holder or Prime Minister. Had he been on bail the reasoning PPP is adducing on continuation of Mr Gilani as Prime Minister could hold in strict law but even in that case , not morally. Now only two Parties stand for moral principles in politics in this case and Supremacy of Law, the Muslim League Nawaz and Tehrik e Insaf .PML -N is in fact the inheritor of the League which created Pakistan and has regard for Quiad i Azam’s moral adherence to legality. All other parties unfortunately appear as B team of the PPP and time server of their tenure and not national parties. It is sad that MQM which always claimed that it adheres to principles deviated from its path in this case,

Now we have to watch what is going to be the real program of the PML-N and T.I on the issue. Our parties have the tradition of playing to the gallery, and revising their strategies in the midst of the struggle. Nawaz Sharif whose party symbolizes the old Muslim League which created Pakistan should keep in view that he is fighting on principles. The outcome of this struggle will settle the question whether the PPP and its Jiyalas are going to be above judiciary or Law, or Law is supreme as is in say UK and the West. This is the issue now. There is no place for ifs and butts . Nawaz Sharif had earned the impression of being a friendly opposition to Mr Zaradari.

This is an opportunity for him to wash that impression. Similarly Imran Khan has to keep in view that if there is going to be identity of interest on this issue with PML-N then he should not start opposition to Nawaz Sharif for the sake of political scoring points for the moment but loosing in the long run. All other parties except these two are parties of opportunists, I am sorry to say particularly leaders of PML-Q. They will not share the long range view of re-interpreting the Constitution that PPP is trying to do in this tussle with Supreme Court in their animus to Nawaz Sharif . Their opposition to Supreme Court is likely to increase and become an issue may be in the streets.

There is a conflict of party interests versus principles. The Quaid’s approach was always to stand for principles. Mr Gilani’s attitude from the beginning was to take up this issue, He had a third alternative also, to resign from Prime Ministership knowing that he was going head long into this situation Supreme Court has shown considerable toleration to his defiance by sentencing him till the rising of the Court. This was an act of courtesy and toleration. Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan’s approach on this issue is identical in final analysis. Bur if he started to go up political dividends and swim separate course then the beneficiary will be PPP. No one else (part) has the vision about what is involved. .

Now I come to the Energy Problem in the country. It is a very erroneous thinking that the political jugglers can solve the energy problem or have any solution of the country’s energy woes. They cannot solve the problems unless they seek advice from the energy scientists. They should convene a conference of Energy experts, that is the scientists in this field , in which not the photo-session should of the politicians should be the main achievement but solid recommendations of the concerned scientists of how we can produce more energy from our own resources along with specific studies of what projects should be undertaken. such as producing electricity from the solar means, air power, and from the solid waste thrown away each day in huge tons in our major cities. Specific recommendations with details of what we should do to benefit from these alternative sources of producing electricity. In 1984 the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad had shown a film to some of the senior officers of the Foreign Office, in which I was present, showing how from the solid waste of Tokyo city they produce half of the city’s electricity.

I have repeatedly written several times about this Japanese example but no one ever took note of it. I had written that our relevant departments should send their team to Tokyo to find out full details of this excellent method of producing electricity, but it fell on deaf ears. Our sweeper who works in the CDA also told me that this film was shown to some of them also. Now I understand that Shahbaz Sharif had brought from Turkey some experts of this method to introduce this method in Lahore.

Further now that the means of transport in the country has become a problem and such poor persons who do not own a car nor their is inter-city transportation in major cities which is normal in big cities like Jakarta, Cairo, etc, and patrol is becoming expensive raising the Taxi charges, I would suggest that horse driven tongas etc should be permitted in major cities too and in cities like Islamabad where keeping horses and use of horse carts is prohibited we should be allowed to keep the horses and horse carts. Those fat politicians who have cars of crores of rupees and free supply at government expense of patrol do not know sitting in Assembly houses how we are tied to the houses for lack of public cheap and plenty of inter city transport.

Taking pity on the poor commuter, use of horse driven transport should be permitted. Adopting realistic proposal and open use of tonga and horse driven transport will mitigate public’s miseries.