And its consequences
It is not surprising that the political temperature is at its peak within five months of PTI’s government considering that their entire election campaign revolved around slogans of rounding up each and every corrupt politician and putting them behind bars. To that end they have succeeded. Leader of the opposition Shahbaz Sharif is behind bars, the elder Sharif almost a political pariah at this point also in the slammer and senior leaders of the party facing NAB investigations or in some cases under physical remand. PPP faces similar circumstances. With the fake accounts case being transferred to NAB it will be difficult for Zardari to avoid arrest given how effective the accountability watchdog is when it comes to taking physical remand of politicians. But the manner in which the government has placed the names of party chairman Bilawal and CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah on the ECL is perplexing. Bilawal has nothing to do with the case and the notion that a sitting CM is a flight risk is simply not justifiable bordering on lunacy. The same observations were made by the CJP who ordered that their names be removed from the ECL to which the PTI has conveniently said nothing doing until a written order is received – the CJP vacates his post in a week followed by Justice Khosa.
Naturally the opposition is not taking all this lying down. Both parties are calling it one-sided heavy-handed political victimization and not without merit. The Chaudhry brothers were let off the hook recently by NAB while cases against Aleem Khan and others are not being pursued with the same intensity. Taking a page from Imran Khan’s book the opposition is calling for a detailed probe into the PM’s sister’s foreign properties alleging that they actually belong to Imran Khan and money fundraised for Shaukat Khanum was illegally used to purchase the assets – serious allegations without much proof, name of the game these days. Meanwhile no legislation is being done due to lack of consensus much to the country’s detriment. As the ruling party it is first the PTI’s responsibility to eliminate this divide otherwise it will be simply unable to deliver on the promises it has made to the people.
