Impatient Politicians and Generals have damaged the

Impatient politicians and Generals have damaged the progress of this nation. Opposition politicians are too impatient to ascend to power finding it unbearable for a government to complete its mandated tenure. Generals believe that only they have answers to all of the problems and that they are the only ones who are patriotic. They act more like politicians than soldiers. They don’t allow politicians to mature through pressure from people in a democratic and constitutional way. When we give example of UK and US we forget that it took them two centuries to develop a democratic tradition and even then it is considered a work in progress.

A general transforms into a politician when his posters appear from one end of the country to the other. The posters don’t appear in thin air rather someone paid for it. No one pays for posters out of love but to promote vested interest. The lack of action to have these posters removed sends a clear political message of intent. On the other hand the politicians who lie about their assets or evade taxes are unfit to act as agents of people. When the majority of those holding position of power engage in actions that can be considered violation of their fiduciary responsibility then application of moral authority can create a void which is more damaging. In such situation the last resort is to law and constitution rather than apply emotional concept of moral authority.

The political system should be more important than any one person or a party. PM should not resign without having been proven guilty of tax evasion and corruption. Or, a no confidence vote should be moved if he has lost confidence of the parliament. The sky didn’t fall when former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani resigned because of contempt of court. The sons or daughters of a PM or any other person of power should not be considered beyond reach of the law. State functions should be run as institutions rather than facilitator of those in power. FBR and ECP should discharge their mandated functions of holding tax audit and compliance with articles 62/63 of the constitution.

There are solutions to any political crisis and they exist in the constitution. Violation the of constitution inflicts damage to the state and undermines the unity of the nation. Resolution of political deadlock requires patience and perseverance rather than impatience and breach of constitution.

Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi