- Flexibility is the hall mark of democracy
Imran Khan is keen to go two steps to embrace Modi if the Indian PM was willing to take one. At home the PM follows an altogether different policy. He is reluctant to meet the opposition leaders to resolve the dispute over military courts. The PPP central executive committee had initially decided not to support the re-induction of military courts after their tenure ended in March but in order to maintain the opposition alliance it modified its stand and agreed to sit down with the government to listen to its arguments in support of the extension. The PML-N too has displayed sufficient tolerance despite being the victim of Imran Khan’s campaign against Nawaz Sharif’s government. Putting aside its reservations about the legitimacy of the elections, PPP is taking an active part in the proceedings of the NA instead of resorting to civil disobedience, sit-ins, gheraos of the Parliament House, lock downs, resignations from NA, or hurling curses on the National Assembly. That’s the kind of attitude required to run a democratic system.
Imran Khan on the other hand prefers to act as an uncompromising and headstrong medieval potentate whose irreversible directives have to be obediently complied with. In this day and age government policies cannot be dictated by a prime minister’s personal likes and dislikes. These have to be guided instead by national interests and the country’s urgent needs. The information minister’s claim that Imran Khan had no need to talk directly with the leadership of the oppsition partes is reflective of the thinking of a courtier. If the top leadership of the opposition wants talks at the highest level what stops Imran Khan from accepting the offer? Hubris has been the undoing of several rulers in the past. So will it be in the future. Imran Khan would be solely responsible if his obduracy forced the opposition to reject the proposal.
Both Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif are suffering from serious medical complications. PTI government should allow them to proceed abroad for treatment as a ageture of goodwilll in case advised by the doctors. The move could improve working relations between the government and opposition.
