Foul smell of conspiracy
The protesters in the Red Zone continue to hold a sit-in peacefully. The government is acting with caution and restraint. No single drop of blood has been shed during a week-long protest in Islamabad. Despite this Ch Shujaat Hussain has predicted that the government was going to be removed in 48 hours and preparations were underway to form a national government. So did Imran Khan, who claimed that the umpire was going to raise his finger by Saturday. The PTI members have tendered resignations from the national assembly, indicating that as far Imran Khan was concerned, there was no turning back now. Tahirul Qadri too seems be confident that the government is about to fall. A foul smell of conspiracy hangs in the air.
There is no constitutional way of removing the government, particularly after both houses of parliament have unanimously supported the constitution and rejected demands for the dissolution of the assemblies and resignation by the prime minister. The Supreme Court has already restrained state functionaries from unconstitutional steps. The only way to oblige the PTI and PAT is for Nawaz Sharif to advise the president to dissolve the parliament and then tender his own resignation. Till Friday, he was in no mood to so. In fact a day earlier Sharif had maintained that if he had chosen to step down, as demanded by the PTI and PAT supporters, there would be more chaos in the country.
The uncertainty has already affected the economy. Capital markets have nosedived, stock market is hemorrhaging while the currency market is showing signs of strain. IMF and World Bank are becoming wary of transactions with Pakistan. In case the system is disbanded through coercive methods Pakistan would be back to where it was after Musharraf’s 1999 coup. Whatever work has been done meanwhile for strengthening of democracy would go waste. What is more, it would heighten polarisation in the country. Pakistan’s image in the international community as a country struggling to strengthen democracy would be damaged.