The High Court has declared the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir incompetent for contempt of court. In Pakistan, criticism of judges over contempt of court has already been widespread, and now the judges are being criticized even more harshly. It is distressing that in this delicate and sensitive situation, the opinion of the Supreme Court judges are also divided. In such a situation, when the people, politics, and government have definitely become frustrated with resolving the issues of the public, the superior judiciary remains the people’s last hope and guarantor of their fundamental rights. However, if the esteemed judges’ opinions are also divided on human rights, then what will be the state of the people’s anxiety? In the current situation, when the country is facing serious and complex problems and issues, unity and solidarity are crucial. National issues can only be resolved through political leadership’s collaboration, but here everyone has their own interests, their own personal agendas. The political leadership is devoid of the ability to look beyond their own political, personal, and party interests, and in this tug of war, even the Supreme Court judges are being included without any sensitivity, and the most important institution is being divided. The situation has even come to the point that there are ongoing efforts to render the Chief Justice of Pakistan powerless on the floor of the Parliament. Different opinions have also been expressed by the judges to strengthen this effort.
The current government struggled to manage the economy while holding onto power, despite borrowing more funds to keep it afloat. However, their efforts to stabilize the sinking economy have been in vain, as the government has opened a political pandora’s box in their attempt to do so. After the Punjab and KPK assemblies were dissolved following their analysis, the government’s deviation from the constitutional requirements for holding elections has created a constitutional crisis. The government wants to prolong its tenure in power, while Punjab and KPK are not prepared for immediate elections. Moreover, the Supreme Court’s orders are being ignored, and the Election Commission is being reluctant to provide funds, security, and polling staff. As a result, the Election Commission has submitted a report to the Supreme Court asking how to hold elections under such circumstances. Asif Zardari advised the Prime Minister to negotiate with the opposition, specifically Imran Khan, without any preconditions. However, if the PTI is adamant about immediate elections in Punjab and KPK, the government is staunchly against holding elections in October. Both sides are standing firm on their positions, and it is the desire of both parties that the opposing party accepts their demands. In such a scenario, considering compromise would be foolish.
It seems that the ongoing political crisis in the country is not going to end soon. The current government is composed of influential families of Bhutto, Sharif, and Maulana. On the other hand, the public is mesmerized by the charisma of Imran Khan’s personality, and his popularity is increasing day by day. Despite this popularity, Imran Khan lacks the art of governance. His close associates are also not wise enough to present him softly. They are good at gathering crowds, but they lack the skills to make their propaganda and team proficient, like the PMLN people who hold on to any issue and create chaos about it. Tehreek-e-Insaf is not even at the level of a primary school in this field. The ongoing struggle between the PTI and the PPP/PMLN government is a reflection of the weaknesses in the country’s political system. Due to political imbalance, the country has adopted a hybrid system where everyone wants their demands to be met in a blink of an eye. This situation has shaken the roots of democracy, which is why political parties lack the confidence to act on their manifesto, and as a result, the political leaders are not competent enough to discuss national security issues.
The alliance between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is not based on a shared commitment to democracy, but rather a fear of the consequences. Both parties have tried and failed to cooperate with each other for a long time, resulting in destruction and humiliation. Imran Khan made both parties his target in politics and, upon coming to power, held them accountable. As a result, both parties realized that a third party would benefit from their infighting, so they united. If this same approach were applied to national issues and the devastation caused by political differences were considered, perhaps all politicians would sit down at the negotiating table and find a compromise. The hard attitude on national issues will not solve any problems, and the country is going through difficult times. All political parties must come together on a single platform and put aside their personal, political, and party interests. If the current chaos is related to the upcoming elections, it can be resolved through dialogue. However, Imran Khan must immediately abandon his opposition to the PDM and agree to hold elections in the provinces. The 90-day constitutional requirement cannot be fulfilled at this point, but delaying it for a few weeks will not cause any more turmoil.
After the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there was no chaos or political unrest in Britain. The transfer of power was carried out smoothly and without any protests or political disturbances. Our politicians often take their disagreements to the courts first, and if a decision goes against them, they start protesting and causing unrest. This puts a burden on the judges who have to tolerate criticism. If a trend of insulting the courts begins, as in the case of Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Elias, then there will be no qualified people left for politics. The court’s job is only to make decisions, it is the government’s constitutional duty to implement them. The courts have a mallet to make sure their decisions are enforced, not force. In this delicate situation, only a powerful institution can intervene. The decision of the military to distance itself from the government and politics is commendable, but when there is no agreement on national issues, the army must bring everyone to the same table, considering it a national duty. If there is no agreement, then once again we should turn to the judiciary and make sure the decision is implemented. It is the responsibility of the military to do so, or else politicians and politics will ruin the country and leave the nation in a bad state.
