Between bad and worse options
The Senate election was instructive at many levels. That no party wanted its members straying too far was routine. But how brazenly some were out to ‘buy’ others’ loyalists left a little something to be desired considering how some of these politicians pride themselves for representing and saving democracy in this troubled Islamic republic. But there was more. The Chairman’s seat also triggered a political frenzy before mysteriously fizzling out. First the Sharifs reached out to MQM – Shahbaz actually called Altaf – and then they called on the Q-league. If that doesn’t betray very strong desire, if not desperation, then few things can.
But then the rush suddenly subsided. On the surface everybody’s all praise about Raza Rabbani’s credentials, especially his sacrifices for democracy, but under the surface there are rumours of more tension. Imran Khan is on a roll again, it seems. And since the Sharifs have honoured none of the promises that helped end the dharna, they might be smelling another confrontation not too far down the road. Of course, talk of Tahirul Qadri returning for his annual ‘revolution’ could also have influenced crucial Senate decisions in Raiwind. It seems Nawaz was confronted with a bad and a worse choice, and opted to keep Zardari happy enough to side with him again, should push come to shove, again.
If true, that would mean the Senate election was, again, more accommodation than an exercise in democracy. And since modern media tends to bring the games of these politicians out in the open more regularly than before, they will have only themselves to blame when their rhetoric about democracy is not appreciated any longer. People gave them the benefit of the doubt, despite repeated lacklustre performances, because it seemed that long years of dictatorial isolation might have finally knocked some democratic sense in them. Going by the last general election and this Senate vote, though, it does not seem many lessons have been learnt.
