Patience calm and forbearance used to be the dominant attributes of the temperament of the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. When he was federal minister in Nawaz Sharif cabinet, he always remained calm and cools to the opposition sharp critique against the government and preferred to avoid firebrand response like Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Talal Chaudhri and Danial Aziz. But now it seems that he has lost his cool.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of 1263 mega watts thermal power plant in Haveli Bahadar Shah Area of Jhang district, the Prime Minister ridiculed the possibility of an alliance of opposition parties. In a sarcastic tone he said, “When you add zero to a zero you get zero as the answer.” This was a direct reference to the ongoing political activities at the Model Town Residence of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadari. A string of politicians including PPP Asif Zardari have turned up at Allama Qadari residence since the Justice Baqir Najfi Report on the tragic Model Town police action has been made public. The flamboyant Railway Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq and sober Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal are also contributing their shares to vitiate the political atmosphere. Talking to reporters, the railway minister said that the proponents of quick march are not politicians. Directing a lampoon against the leadership of PAT and PTI, he said that our opponents can go to the extent of forging alliance with “Satan.” This is not the language used in political jargon. The Interior Minister claimed that Qadari, Rizvi, and Zardari can not bring down the government. There is no need to bracket the former president with the diehard opponents of the government as he all along pleads for reconciliation in politics. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah has categorically stated that PPP will not be a part of any alliance that wants to bring down the government and derail the democratic system.
A famous saying goes, “Do not invite a trouble to trouble.” But the PML-N leadership not only does that it is also fond of hitting a live bomb for no apparent reason. Before the arrival PAT Chief Allama Tahirul Qadri from abroad in June 2014, the railway Minister Saad Rafiq said in function that we will give such hospitality to the Maulana that he will not forget it for whole life. Punjab government ordered police action against Minhajul Quran Secretariat in the garb of removing the barriers in Model Town. The scene of inhuman brutality was shown live by electronic news channels for hours and the Chief Minister Punjab Shabaz Sharif remained a silent spectator to the ongoing human tragedy. In view of mounting political pressure, a judicial commission of a single Judge of Lahore High Court was formed by the Punjab government with a narrow term of reference, but report of Justice Baqir Najfi Commission was not made public. It has now been released after the verdict of Lahore High Court. Instead of accepting the findings of report, the Punjab law minister Rana Sana Ullah described it inconclusive. The Chairman Pakistan Awami Tehrik Dr Tahirul Qadri has demand for the formation of Joint Investigation Team like Panama leaks to investigate the carnage of innocents in Model Town. He has already hinted a sit-in on this matter. Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-i- Insaf, Imran Khan has publicly announced his party’s support for PAT on this issue.
Another instance of inviting a trouble was the decision to amend the Khatm-i- Nabuwwat Oath Declaration. The protest rally of Tehrik-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) was not engaged in negotiations by the Punjab government in Lahore and under a tacit understanding it was allowed to move forward to Islamabad and lay siege to the Capital. After three weeks in the wake of court decision, the federal government opted for using force to end the Faizabad sit-in instead of holding a much needed meaningful negotiations. The move backfired, however the military leadership played a sagacious role in ending the sit-in amicable manner. Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid has resigned but the issue of Khatam -i- Nabuwwat is still there. Number of PML- N law makers has handed over their resignations to Pir Hameed-ud-Din Sialvi. A declaration of 100 Mashiakh has signed a declaration demanding the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.
The situation in the Middle East has become explosive after President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem the capital of Israel. The instability in Afghanistan has a direct bearing on the law and order in Pakistan. It is time the ruling political leadership gives a chance to reasons and demonstrates statesmanship rather than instigating the opposition parties to launch a protest against the government.
