The new Model Town JIT
If there weren’t a clear track record of the ruling party refusing to learn from its mistakes, it would appear that the new JIT to probe the Model Town tragedy was a deliberate attempt to provoke PAT. And how it has stirred the pot even more. That Raheeq Abbassi would formally reject the JIT on behalf of the party was granted. But now Qadri sahib’s fiery rhetoric is back as well, even if via video link. Apparently Gen Sharif assured him – during their famous meeting at the height of the dharna, of course – of a transparent investigation and the chief minister’s resignation. Add to that a PTI leader’s recent revelation, that it was Gen Sharif who recommended including ISI and MI in the election investigation, and there is clearly more chaos than clarity.
Yet, importantly, as much as PAT, etc, were upset by the JIT, it did not surprise observers more accustomed with the N-league’s way of running government. The going explanation is that now that the dharnapressure has fizzled out, the ruling party is back to its procrastination on important issues, and provocative posturing when it does move. Now it has provided the basic ingredient for another political showdown. And should push come to shove, again, the opposition in the assembly might not stand by it as firmly as it did in the first round. Aitzaz Ahsan, who so dramatically provided the combined opposition’s view recently, also made it clear not much later in the senate that if the government did not change its ways, the support would not continue.
There are also rumours of unhappy customers within the ruling party. News of evaluations of ministries and talk of ‘shuffle’ obviously upset some blocs who liked the present arrangement just fine. If true, there must be internal pressure also on the prime minister. At such a time, it is unwise to cause unnecessary strains. The Model Town incident, and its fallout, perhaps played the key role in putting the government on the back foot recently. That it continues to go its own way in the investigation, especially after agreeing to a more transparent arrangement, is indicative of a mindset that does not fully grasp the present political situation. The sooner the N-league leans to avoid such posturing, the more secure its ‘democracy’ will become.
