‘Ongoing political crisis is a threat to the democracy’

Participants of a discussion forum on the current political scenario were unanimous in their opinion that the ongoing political crisis is a threat to the democratic setup, not just the incumbent prime minister.

They reached this consensus in a discussion forum on the issue of current political scenario organised by PML-N key leader Muhammad Mehdi at Punjab University Executive Club on Sunday.

Participants included former Ambassador Javed Hasan, ex-head of Punjab University’s Political Science Department Prof Rashid Ahmed Khan, lawyer AK Dogar, journalist Altaf Husain Qureshi, Dr Amjad Magsi and PML-N leader Muhammad Mehdi among others.

Signifying political stability as one of the four pillars of modern state’s progress, Hasan regretted that repeated military interventions had played a major role in creating political instability in the country, which had also hindered economic progress, besides giving birth to evils the country is facing today.

Warning that the present situation was also leading to political instability, he called for continuity of the democratic process began in 2008. He urged all political parties not to let democracy get derailed in the power politics.

Prof Khan claimed that the political instability was being created because of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Some forces, he speculated, could not see Pakistan and China progress, while others feared that Beijing could develop Gwadar as its naval base.

He said the minus-formula would neither be acceptable nor workable as it could damage the very democratic process. The formula, he recalled, had earlier been unsuccessfully suggested for the MQM and PPP respectively, and now the PML-N was being targeted.

Dogar, who had submitted a petition a day earlier challenging the Supreme Court jurisdiction in becoming a direct trial court in the Panama case, said he could not see “fair justice” in Panama as some superior judges had also been politicised because of media.

He lamented that PEMRA was seen nowhere as almost all TV channels were violating its rules by discussing sub judice matter.

Quoting verdicts of Federal Shariah Court, he said an accused could not be denied right to appeal against a decision of a trial court. But, as the apex court, the appellate forum, had itself become a trial court in the Panama case the accused (PM Nawaz) had been robbed of the right to appeal, he argued.

In the original petition of the PTI, JI, Awami League in the Panama case, it had been pleaded that either the PM should be disqualified or the case to be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan [for adjudication], he said. But currently, the whole focus of the judicial process is on disqualification ignoring the “or” part of the writ, he added.

Qureshi said that the Supreme Court risked the democratic process by making part of the Joint Investigation Team, the two institutions which generally dislike the civilians. He feared that the apex court action could lead to some mishap.

Dr Magsi said the ongoing accountability process reminded one that it was the same fight going on between the establishment and the civilians since the 1950s, when Liaquat Ali Khan, Hussain Shaheed Suhrwardy were the first to be targeted on similar charges.

Mehdi said the prolonged political crisis is not only hurting foreign and local investment but also affecting the country’s diplomatic efforts on various issues of the national importance.

He claimed that the fear of losing 2018 was making the PML-N rivals to resort to conspiracies.

He said if there was no sit-in in the year 2014 then the menace of load shedding could have been resolved by now.

Columnist and JI leader Farooq Chohan said all political leaders should be passed through the accountability process so that none could claim the “injustice” being single out.

Lawyer Mian Obaid regretted that probe against the prime minister was initiated without meeting the basic legal requirement of registering an FIR against the accused.