Install a caretaker setup as soon as possible
So the prime minister gave a farewell address, sort of, to the nation the other day. There is nothing wrong with that. On the contrary, being a landmark in our political history, a democratic government completing its term that is, it was a good thing. He spoke at length on how his party’s government had done great for the country and how it had made the lives of a common man easier than before. While there may be only a few takers of the former claim, the latter might not even come close to having any voice in its favour.
Yes, the country has a strong constitutional foothold than ever with legislation varying from women rights to corporal punishments in schools. Interestingly, that has always been the hallmark of every PPP government ever since it first came to power in the early ’70s. However, completing a term does not absolve the government of its responsibilities; it has to ensure that the democratic process is not hampered. It has to give the reins of power to the caretaker setup, and announce election schedule. Now that the government has functionally ceased to exist, it would be a perfect time for the Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who is holding the post till a caretaker PM is appointed, to take necessary measures to ensure peaceful elections and transfer of power.
The major hurdle in the way, as some might suggest, is not the federal government itself. It is the provincial governments that seem to be focused on political score settling than burying the hatchet and finding a way to move forward. The Punjab CM, for example, denied that he gave any date to dissolve Punjab assembly along with or simultaneously with the other assemblies. Shahbaz Sharif, CM Punjab, has said that he won’t dissolve the provincial assembly unless the PM accepts his demands. Those demands include appointing a caretaker PM of the PML-N’s choice, and ironically stopping the PPP to appoint caretaker CMs in Sindh and Balochistan assemblies. The Balochistan assembly seems to be in even greater political crisis. The opposition there has got more members now, who have resigned from the PPP and the PML-Q, causing the balance to shift in favour of Nawabzada Tariq Magsi against Aslam Raisani, a once booted out chief minister. If these problems are not tackled at once, the elections might get delayed, a concern expressed by Ishaq Dar of the PML-N as well. Instead of gloating over what they have done, or what they are doing, the PPP should take PML-N along with it to work out an agreement on a caretaker setup.
The sooner the power is handed over to a caretaker setup, the better it would be for the democratic process in the country. PPP has shown its good intentions by dissolving the national assembly on time, it must now go a step further and prove its intentions in practice by handing over power to a caretaker setup. And so do the provincial governments, particularly the Punjab and Balochistan governments.
