A pipe dream: Peace and stability in Pakistan

Pakistan's political situation got further complicated on Tuesday as the federal government's anti-graft watchdog arrested opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in one of many pending cases against him. This led to a strong wave of protests in major cities across Pakistan, with internet and social media largely blacked out. 

The arrest was made only a day after the armed forces' media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), came up with a strong reaction against Khan's accusations against a senior and sitting army officer who he alleges planned to assassinate him. Refuting the allegation, the ISPR told the PTI chief to prove the allegation or the military establishment had the right to take legal action against him.  

The PTI chief has stuck to his position and is not willing to take back the allegation. The arrest of the player-turned-politician establishes that the army is fully behind the 13-party ruling coalition of Pakistan.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court has taken serious notice of the high-profile arrest of Imran Khan and summoned important officials to seek their explanation.

Khan is scheduled to be produced before an accountability court on Wednesday. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan claims the government has irrefutable proof of Khan's corruption. 

During the last few days, the conflict between the parliament and judiciary has intensified with both sides claiming their supremacy. Since the army appears to be supporting the parliament, the consequences are expected to be disastrous for the country.      

The raging war manifests that either no effort was made at the state or individual level to keep the two institutions within their limits, or if behind-the-scenes any such effort was made, it failed to produce results. 

The parliament-judiciary confrontation came into the open when Defense Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, who is very close to PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, launched a scathing attack on the Supreme Court in a session of the National Assembly last Tuesday. 

He addressed the apex court like he was speaking against his enemies, something unbecoming both of the minister as well as the addressee. He urged the National Assembly Speaker not to provide the record of the legislature sought by the top court regarding a recent law that clipped the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Amid the uncertainty, one thing is certain: Peace and stability in Pakistan will remain a pipe dream in the foreseeable future.

Ashraf Mumtaz

The CJP has already stayed any action on the bill, but the government passed it into a law and duly notified it.  His order about the stay is still in the field. 

Fuming in anger, the defence minister said in his speech he was ready to face the consequences of his disobedience to the court. 

“Enough is enough. If they want a war, then there will be a war. The parliament will not surrender.”

In his offensive against the top court, the defense minister said judges who gave unconstitutional decisions should be tried even if they’ve died. He did not say anything against the politicians who joined hands with dictators in the past to get important positions in the then setup.  

Unfortunately, no member on the treasury benches told the minister to address the judges respectfully. Instead, they thumped their desks as he concluded. 

PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the very same day that Supreme Court judges should be summoned by the parliament’s privilege committee on the charge of committing what he called contempt of parliament. 

The consistent criticism of judiciary by parliamentarians appears to be a calculated move aimed at attaining certain targets. 

Observers say that if the court punishes any legislator on the charge of contempt-- a possibility that cannot be ruled out-- the parliamentarians will call the sentence biased, prejudiced because of the court’s furious attitude. 

Then, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif is expected to return to Pakistan in the near future after four years of self-exile in London. Ostensibly, he will have to face the courts on account of violating his pledge that he will return home in a few weeks. In case the court takes action against him, PDM parties will reject the order as vindictive and revengeful. 

Pressure is being mounted on the top court, especially the chief justice and like-minded judges, to give favorable decisions on Sharif’s return or such verdicts will be rejected. 

It may also be a coincidence that the Supreme Court's decisions on all PML-N’s petitions are unfavorable. 

On the other hand, talks between the ruling coalition and the PTI have failed to make any headway. The reason: The government has vitiated the environment by arresting, harassing a large number of PTI leaders. The raids on the Lahore and Gujrat residences of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who is the central president of the party, is one such example. 

Imran Khan has been implicated in over 100 cases and everyday he is required to appear in various courts. Some former federal ministers belonging to the PTI are also being hounded. 

Had the government really been interested in making the talks a success, they would have adopted a friendly strategy and avoided such actions as appear to be vindictive. 

The PTI is determined not to accept any elections without Imran Khan while the PDM parties regard the PTI chairman as a security threat to the country. 

Amid the uncertainty, one thing is certain: Peace and stability in Pakistan will remain a pipe dream in the foreseeable future.

– The writer is a senior and veteran journalist with a career spanning 40 years with major national and international newspapers.