And distorting democracy
How quickly the honourable courts have come from being the pillar of our still budding democracy to being ridiculed in the streets, literally. And that too by the just ousted three-time prime minister whose party still rules the country. Suddenly, in a matter of days, it is the courts that have allegedly had the audacity to attack democracy. Once again the so-called establishment, we are told, is tightening the noose around democracy’s vulnerable neck. Now Pervez Rashid has emerged from the wilderness to accuse Musharraf’s ‘ghost’, whatever that means, of undermining democracy – always undermining democracy.
But Mr Rashid did not clarify, much like other prominent PML-N loudmouths, just how the establishment, or political parties volunteering to be their pawns, conspired to prevent the prime minister and his family form proving their case before the Supreme Court and JIT? And as regards his “sacrifice” for “the sake of democracy (of course)”, he is reminded that he was relieved of his duties following a high level inquiry into a leak of highly classified information. How can that be considered a sacrifice for democracy?
Also, Nawaz Sharif’s reaction to the ouster has now triggered widespread debate about contempt of court, etc. Unfortunately, among other things, this long Panama Papers circus has shown the Pakistani people that the black and white of the law is not without large grey areas at times. You’ll find the most eminent lawyers convinced that Nawaz has crossed the line one contempt, yet equally prominent barristers will argue otherwise. It turns out, broadly, that while comment on cases is off-limits so long as it is sub judice, there’s no such bar once the verdict is out. Yet openly blaming “those five judges” of a conspiracy, hand in glove with the ‘establishment’, and in partnership with opposition parties of course, clearly goes much further than just commenting. Nawaz has played it wrong since the Panama story broke. First he did not, unwisely, step down for an investigation. Then he did not provide necessary information about the family’s money to the investigation. And now, he’s deliberately trying to pit institutions against each other just so he can make a case at the election.
