Pakistan in hands of dummies or deities ?
PRIME Minister Imran Khan’s regime put Pakistan in a state of uncertainty and ambiguity, indeed. But wasn’t it so during the regime of others before him?
Is Pakistan not the same country where the elected government is never allowed to complete the mandated tenure of five years?
Well, yes the political turmoil seems to be the fate of Pakistan pertaining to the current situation.
Background: The legal war began after Qasim Khan Suri, the National Assembly Deputy Speaker dismissed the motion of no-confidence against the PM Imran Khan, on Sunday.
He stated that the act was against the Article-5 of the Constitution of Pakistan thus it is ‘unconstitutional’.
After Suri’s decision, Imran Khan addressed the nation congratulating them for defeating a foreign conspiracy which meant to abolish the “independent foreign policy of Pakistan” and to topple Khan’s government.
Then arrived the much awaited “surprise” when Khan announced that he advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and the nation should now be prepared for elections. Alas!
The ‘surprise’ did not fail to catch the country by surprise, actually. Particularly the opposition which by no means was expecting the surprise to be this horrendous for them!
The two narratives: So do we say that ‘a foreign agenda has the prevailed over at the cost of country’s constitution’ or that ‘Do like the Romans do in Rome?
Two narratives are coexisting. The authenticity and the legal status of what Khan did was a question for some and marked a great victory for others.
Undoubtedly, constitution of a country is a charter which links you to the state and the paramountcy of the charter is above and beyond the political rivalries but on the other hand, the decision was glorified by many in its entirety.
Ruling was unanticipated and unforeseen. Though “the skipper” had been telling the nation “ghabrana nahi hai” but the country did feel the “ghabrahat” in the first place.
“Not to forget, one of the basal lessons of diplomacy is to create doubt: never lay all your cards on the table! ”
What came next? : Speaker’s ruling and the disputed call for fresh elections resulted in a fracas leaving the country in a state of abeyance and limbo where the assemblies were dissolved and the PM in a tug of war.
One opposition party was not ready to leave Parliament until the reversal of the decisions and the other took it to the Supreme Court.
Then on 7 April comes the decision of Supreme Court regarding the dissolution of Assembly and the “breach” of Constitution.
This marked the turning of the tables; PM and his cabinet stood restored, the decision of assembly reversed, deputy speaker’s ruling was declared null and void and the motion of no confidence is to be held now (Doctrine of necessity lying 6 feet under the ground).
Pakistani politics or a roller coaster of emotions? From exhilaration and excitement to desperation and disappointment and vice versa.
Though this is a huge win for the Constitution of Pakistan which is not just a piece of paper that can be crumpled and thrown away when not in your use anymore.
The decision of Supreme Court to restore the constitution was a much appreciated yet a bold step but was it under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court?
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
