Political exigencies trump all else
The issue of allowing access to Nato containers continues to hang fire. High level officials from the two countries are holding behind-the-scenes talks and are coming close to finding a common ground, we are told. Politicians, however, have yet to move behind posturing on the issue. There is a perception that no political party is willing to be seen to be soft towards the US. Fazlur Rehman who escaped two suicide attacks last year is not willing to stick out his head. Instead, he has disassociated from the Parliamentary Committee on National Security(PCNS) maintaining that he is not willing to be a party to decisions being taken somewhere else. Meanwhile, the government watches passively as DPC, which includes banned outfits working under new names, holds rallies in one city after another where fiery anti-US speeches are followed by resolutions never to allow access to Nato vehicles. In PML(N), there are as many stands on the issue as there are leaders. On Thursday, Sardar Mahtab tied the restoration of Nato supplies with the release of Afia Siddiqui. The next day, Mian Nawaz put up two altogether different preconditions: an end to drone attacks and the recall of the US security contractors from Pakistan. Ch Nisar, however, advised the PPP to take an executive decision on the matter without involving the parliament.
What perplexes one is the way the government is tackling an important issue. Repeated demands from the highest US circles to decide the issue apace have left the government unmoved. Gilani has already said there is no need for a hasty decision. If the PM thinks the problem will disappear by simply looking the other way, this is not going to happen. One can understand that with the US popularity currently at the nadir in Pakistan, the government expects significant concessions in return for allowing the Nato trucks to ply. Among those who desperately want the resumption of Nato supplies are countries Pakistan can ill afford to ignore like EU members and Turkey. There is a need on the part of the government not to sacrifice long-term national interests for political exigencies. In case the opposition parties fail to cooperate, the government should be ready to act on its own.
