Yet another letter!

"Memos have long been playing a key role in crises-hit Pakistan"

It was a letter again and perhaps the sixth in recent years, bringing a storm into Pakistani politics.

One was read by the Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari on Friday night, second was presented by the National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri in April this year and the third was written by Hussain Haqqani in 2011, the then Pakistan Ambassador to the US – the country behind the controversies and crises that Pakistan faces, as per claims of the majority.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif presented two letters before the National Assembly between November 5, 2016 and December 22, 2016 in connection with his family’s offshore companies named in Panama Leaks. Written by Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, the letters were declared as “myths” by the “Joint Investigation Team” formed on the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to investigate the “money laundering” of the Sharif Family.

Another letter was a “Will” by Benazir Bhutto. The former prime minister wanted her husband to lead her party on an “interim basis” if anything happened to her, according to a will released in February 2008 and written two days before she returned to Pakistan in October 2007 after self-exile. Its secrecy had created controversy and critics still publicly question the legitimacy of Zardari’s claim to power.

Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari read the letter of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) President Ch Shujaat Hussain before the house and changed the expected scenario.

Suri’s letter, however, could not bear any fruit. He failed to establish his point in power corridors and resigned.

Haqqani had to lose his ambassadorship and even the country on the basis of the “letter”.

Friday’s letter converted the PTI-PML-Q majority in the House of 371 members into a minority, inviting criticism from majority of legal experts and political analysts, though some backed Mazari’s ruling.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf claimed the cable sent by Pakistani ambassador to US Asad Majeed established Washington’s direct involvement in Pakistan’s domestic affairs. At the time of Haqqani’s letter, PTI Chairman Imran Khan had claimed the former diplomat sought interference in Pakistan of the then Obama Administration for saving the PPP government against an expected military takeover.

PML-Q letter landed in Punjab Assembly from Chaudhry’s House, though a twitter handle jestingly pointed out that the US now will now orchestrate conspiracies against the PTI from House of Gujrat (Ch Shujaat’s native house) instead of Washington.

Memos have long been playing key role in Pakistan politics.

But in the age of social media everybody knows when and why the letters are being created in Pakistan and in the countries like it. It has been widely established now that people of Pakistan can no longer afford Machiavellian politics. Let the people know the fact and the country will be safe, a US judge quoted the words uttered by some wise person during the notorious Watergate Scandal of 1972.

Leading analysts had earlier suggested the ruling alliance in the centre to let the PTI and the PML-Q form the government in Punjab, considering their majority but the “letter” once again proved its “importance”. Political pundits see no end to political instability in the country in the near future and many call for fresh polls.