- Call it a day, please
Unmindful of its fallout on a fragile social peace and a deteriorating national economy, the PTI leadership is pushing the opposition to the wall like mad. The Prime Minister seems to be wedded to the idea of not sparing the opposition leaders, whatever it takes. A whole lot of ministers, advisers and spokespersons are busy round the clock badmouthing opposition leaders.
Nawaz Sharif is in jail, sentenced by a judge with seedy reputation. Failing to get Shehbaz Sharif sentenced in any case, NAB has ordered freezing his movable and immovable property. Top most PML-N leaders like Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Hamza Shehbaz and Rana Sanaullah are in custody. Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was arrested on Thursday while warrants of arrests have been issued for former PML-N Finance Minister Miftah Ismail who has secured protective bail. NAB directed PML-N VP Maryam Nawaz to appear before an accountability court in the fake trust deed case. Headed as it is by a retired Supreme Court judge who knows that the law does not allow such double jeopardy, NAB must have done so under mounting pressure. The PML-N leader was discharged by the judge on the ground that the case was inadmissible. There is a perception that now it is the turn of other vocal critics of the government in the PML-N ranks. That the opposition has turned down the suggestion to withdraw the no-confidence vote against the Senate Chairman again underlines that the PML-N leadership remains adamant despite government’s pressure tactics.
In her interview with the Voice of America, a defiant Maryam Nawaz made it known that while she did not want to confront the institutions she would continue to fight for democracy, a free media and the basic rights of the common man. What is more, she would oppose as before what she called the civilian martial law. Similar sentiments were expressed by other PML-N leaders also.
What Imran Khan needs to do is to take an about-turn. As he once put it, Hitler destroyed his country and lost the war as he failed to take a necessary U-turn. While it is for the courts to dispense justice, the government has to remain neutral.
