- Moderation is the way out
The PML-N leadership continues to ratchet up its rhetoric against the judiciary. At his Jaranwala rally Nawaz Sharif questioned the legitimacy of disqualifying a leader who had been elected by the people. Maryam denigrated the judicial system, maintaining that after God the public’s court holds the most power. Going a step further she called upon the public to rise and punish the ‘conspiring pawns’. Only fascists use the so called “public courts” to justify their illegal acts like lynchings, pogroms and kristạllnachts. The so called ‘mob justice’ is however looked at with abhorrence in civilised societies. In democracies judgments passed by a court can only be annulled by a higher court and not through public gatherings, whatever the numbers.
The jubilation over the PML-N becoming the largest single party in Senate after 18 years combined with elation over unexpectedly large audience gathered to listen to Sharif in Peshawar seems to have acted as a shot of adrenaline for the former prime minister. He made a desperate appeal to the audience to elect his party with an overwhelming majority in the general election, adding that this would allow the party to make “laws to stop disqualification of an elected prime minister in future”.
It was unfortunate on the part of Nawaz Sharif to declare his intention to overturn the SC judgment that disqualified him through parliament on the basis of a supposed big mandate. Only months back the PML-N steamrollered the opposition to change the electoral rules to allow Sharif to assume the post of PML-N chief. This was strongly resented by the entire opposition which considered it an act alien to democracy. Any attempt to use PML-N majority to make a fundamental change in the basic structure of the constitution to once again provide relief to an individual is likely to meet with stronger opposition both inside and outside parliament. There is also a likelihood of the judiciary taking a tough stand on the matter. A further polarisation of society can be detrimental for economic development as well as for social peace. Hopefully the courts too would take a wider view of the law of contempt.
The solution and response to this illigitimate rhetoric is simple and quick: put both in Adyala till right sense prevails.
We have been using these jail tactics since 1947 against civilian rulers. We have to respect vote and discourage political engineering
Respect to vote and mandate is where those elected deliver. Have they during the last decades ? The biggest political mess ever has ashamed us, the voters, but these ‘blood sucker politicians’ have no remorse and no shame.
Like daughter, like father. MN has almost destroyed the democratic future of her father and the party but they all are ranting the same rant from day one which now has become more open and shameful. She is NOT Indra Ghandi or even Benazir but is talking big and disgracefully. It is like ‘ Jahan satyanas wahan Sawa satyanas’. Very disgraceful.
It is probably the first time in the history of Pakistan that a poltical party is openly against the judiciary . It is a eye ball to eyeball confrontaion. We the public are innocent bystanders and are confused. The country is desscending into chaos.
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