Malik M Aslam Awan
IT is a fatal trend in politics that the Opposition and the Government both question each others patriotism and allege opposing Junta that they have committed an offence against country’s interest and deserve to be termed a traitor. Since the times, knowing no bonds, most of politicians were termed as traitors, even some were regularly tried and death punishment was awarded to them, the list of such victims is so long that a catalogue will have to be compiled to depict the real scenario. This is a fatal trend which entails far reaching repercussions. To malign each other is discernible but to question the patriotism of a person who was thrice mandated by the masses to hold the reins of state is beyond human acumen.
To make outstanding narratives PTI ruling elite and stalwarts have built an oft repeated narrative, which is so old age and frequently used for political enemies that it has lost its credibility. All Parties Conference and the dominating speech of PML (N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has been portrayed as breach of loyalty to the country to black paint his patriotism, to prove the breach of loyalty to the country is so rampant slogan that even those who have least interest in politics seem reluctant to believe this narrative.
We have no criteria to judge the loyalty of a public figure, politician or a common citizen, except to have a close and analytical surveillance on his practical steps. The direction of his footprints would clearly annotate the tilt of one’s loyalty. PTI’s narrative of Nawaz’s breach of loyalty towards Pakistan will further aggravate the situation and in response the PML(N) will trace several acts of PTI’s stalwarts as breach of loyalty to the state. This is not a practice, which would attract public applause but will be put in oblivious past. Every act attracts reaction and every charge is often responded by superseding velocity. I think the history of politics has several examples in its lap to have a lesson to imbibe, serving as beacon of light for sober politics.
Sophism has no substantial background to make people believe that the narrative has warranted backing to make it believable. Sophists erect narratives with the belief that people would definitely follow them blindly and their oft repeated notion will win public favours. Follies make someone vulnerable to unfavourable circumstances and sometimes though rare in history have had a chance to avert, wreak horrendous repercussions. PTI’s situation of affairs is quite different from that of all previous regimes. PTI had won public sympathies on the most publicized slogan of “State of Madina” or change of previous lawlessness and oblivion prevailing in state and change the fortune of the depressed and downtrodden. The Captain is, manifestly, making hectic efforts to steer the ship of state to right direction but unluckily, the direction is getting slant instead of envisioned straight towards progress, prosperity and amelioration of the general public.
It is to be earnestly kept in mind that despite PML (N) Chief’s vociferous assertion that PTI has been driven to be at the helm of state affairs, PTI government is not easily fallible at the hands of APC parties. All parties may go on more vibrant, with the passage of time but would not be in position to muster public support by dint of their credibility. The fallible factor is dependent on the number of follies being committed by the Captain and its cabinet if PTI rise up to the situation and muster public support by drastic change in living standard of general public and raise their capacity and power to purchase the necessities of life and make the public grievances lesser than before, ever deteriorating law and order situation is made palpably better and justice is made within the reach of common citizen then the situation would smack in favour of PTI, otherwise public grievance may aggravate the situation in furtherance of the motives of opposition, then PML(N) PPP and other allied forces may fish out of troubled waters.
The Captain might have the vision to read the writing on the wall. Follies aggravate public sentiments so fiery that situation go simmering, combined with thorny issues make the throne trembling to come down. Rise and fall of sceptre is natural phenomenon, it is hard rather impossible to avert it but the visionary control of drift of events makes it possible for the time being to avert the sudden crash and inescapable collapse.
—The writer is a freelance columnist and independent analyst based in Lahore.
