This, too, shall pass

Many ultimatums have been issued over the past three years about President Zardari’s ‘impending’ departure. The declared dates came and went; but President Zardari remained where he was, as he was. There were many making these portentous declarations. Some were those who already started at the beginning of the first year of the president’s tenure. They were beside themselves with rage that they were itching to oust the president. Some implored the COAS to take military action and oust Zardari. Some expressed the hope that he might leave in an ambulance. But the clock kept ticking. And President Zardari remained affixed in his seat and the hopelessness of those waiting to expel him kept increasing. Some fell silent after exhausting their energies. Others turned to pathos-filled appeals. But the government remained firmly lodged in place.

After a few months, when a few important cases were presented before the Supreme Court, these elements entered the fray again with their blades aloft and sharpened. Now their hopes were pinned on the SC. They wanted that as soon as the SC gave a verdict against the president and ordered the army to eject him, they march themselves to the President House and do the honours themselves. The business of the courts continued. Decisions kept coming in. And they were not at all to the linking of the president’s detractors and ill-wishers. Once again, they were in the throes of hopelessness. Their blades were beginning to rust. Their burgeoning hopes were being put to rest. They once again faded into the background to nurse their wounds and shed some croc tears.

Again after a while, the mills started churning again and the news that the government would soon lose its majority in the parliament started doing the rounds. When any coalition partner departed, slogans of ‘Gotcha!’ echoed. If another gave in resignations, rounds of bhangra started that the government’s fate was a done deal. This, too, passed. The government remained steadfast.

But the ill-wishing elements weren’t prepared to give up easily this time. They started their game of make-and-break. The ‘behind-the-scene forces’ were contacted. No one knows how they replied but the grapevine was already alive with rumours of the ‘hidden hand’ coming to the aid of these elements. It went so far that even the leader of the opposition took part in a meeting of these unofficial elements. What could’ve been better to bolster them? They started their countdown again. But the opposition couldn’t shape up and put up a cohesive front. Hope turned to despair again. Some in their exasperation said that instead of trying and failing again and again, it was better to wait the government’s term out. They surmised that three years had passed in this odious confliction and they are no closer to pinning down the target. Thus, it was better to wait till the elections….

But, there is no rest for the weary. These ill-wishers are now once again active. It seems the one who broadcast this struggle in ‘do or die’ terms are once again saying that president can’t escape this time. Some have said the jig is up. Others have said that he has no more political aces up his sleeve. All these idioms were being thrown around to say one thing: Zardari’s wiles would help him no more. He is caught in the web. He won’t be able to wrest himself. What web? Who has spun it? No one knows – maybe not even these naysayers. A few days ago, the Zulfiqar Mirza blitz was blowing in the direction of the president house. He called him astray and deviant while simultaneously expressing his love and affection for him. This again invigorated the hopes of these ill-wishers. They began to convince nay delude themselves that Zulfiqar Mirza would be able to do something, anything. But, it was not to be so. The helplessness of these elements seemed pitiable.

Those on whom Mirza’s hope rests

Just look at their hopelessness

Where once the cynosure of these hopes was General Kayani, the mantle has now been passed to Mr Mirza. If the Mirza bubble bursts in a few days, I wonder who will be the next lucky centre of these people’s hopes and aspirations. Why not Dr Qayyum Soomro? Even this is not beyond the pale of these elements but even if they do so, Dr Qayyum will also dash their hopes.

Now, PML(N) has raised the banner of rebellion and started chanting “Go Zardari, go”. Ch Nisar appears is incensed beyond recognition and spitting fire like never before. Even Nawaz Sharif’s speeches have grown in verve and causticity. There are programmes of taking out rallies. And those who keep issuing the government’s date of departure, they are again in their element. All dolled up, they have come out in full force and most of them have declared the ‘time of departure’ to be before the Senate elections. All these Cassandras have declared March to be the twilight of the Zardari government.

That means that they have all but made up their mind that President Zardari will be shown the door before March. How? Everybody has a different answer for that. If you ask the N-League, they will say that they will bring a constitutional change. There are others who point the finger towards the military and declare that ‘the decision has already been made’. A friend of mine had pronounced two years ago that ‘the decision had been made’. But when this ‘done and dusted decision’ didn’t come out for weeks, my friend forgot about his exclusive news and inside scoop. This time around, the ‘decision-has-already-been-made’ crowd seems surer. Their certainty and strength derives from their belief in the military, religious parties, groups in the opposition, Zulfiqar Mirza and the prediction of our television pundits.

I am thinking that if March passes without event, the Senate elections take place as per schedule and President Zardari still remains a denizen of the President House, what will be the state of these people? If it were me, I would willingly leave the presidency as an act of mercy on all these people to save from their sorry fate. But Zardari is a determined Baloch. While he might be prevailed over through love and friendship, but threats and intimidation won’t work on him. You can only round him up through a ‘policy of reconciliation’, something which he has devoted to.

I know nobody will pay heed to my advice in these circumstances and I am not a fan of wanting to waste my words. But if the Senate elections happen as planned bulldozing the dreams of these ill-wishers and naysayers, then I do have some advice for them. Why not damn this politics of confrontation and altercation. It hasn’t borne any fruit for the past three years and you have been staring at the face of defeat. Why not try something new? A politics of reconciliation. Maybe it will lead you to that elusive goal of success. The nation will also be at peace while you might also be able to finally get some sleep at night.

The writer is one of Pakistan’s most widely read columnists.