And the lot of the people
For unexplained reasons, an air of mystery continues to surround the sudden announcement of the judicial council that will finally probe vote rigging. PTI, of course, is marketing it as a victory for the cause. This is what happens, they say, when hundreds of thousands protest for months on end, braving harsh weather, not to mention an over bearing government, in the fight for true democracy and ‘naya Pakistan’. The government, on the other hand, will sell its own democratic credentials. Anything to keep representative government on track, they will say, even if it means coming round to probing the election that gave them the ‘heavy mandate’ in the first place.
There is, of course, the small matter that this road had been a dead end for months. PTI and PML-N teams had bounced ideas off each other unendingly and no conclusion could be reached. The main problem, at least when the dharna was still going, was the ruling party’s refusal to put a timeline on the proposed commission. The government wanted it open-ended whereas PTI wanted a cut-off date. At that time they wanted a six-month expiry. That was the point of maximum reach. And neither side budged till the matter was last in the press.
Now, suddenly, both have come to an agreement. Surely both must have stepped back a notch or two – despite promising never to give an inch – but such details have not made their way to the public they are meant to benefit. No doubt if such decisions are taken arbitrarily and crucial facts kept hidden, some doubts are bound to surface. Now, as talk of behind-the-scene influence grows, these parties will have only themselves to blame. If they really held the people’s interests dear, they would not keep them in the dark. They also strengthen the opinion that politics is a game of opportunity. And not matter how dear people’s fate is to those vying for power, ultimately the game is all about power itself.