Wasting time

AFTER its ouster from the Punjab government by the PML-N, the PPP has decided to sit on the opposition benches. But the PPP has expressed it anger…. It appears that the period of reconciliation is over, the Charter of Democracy has come to an end, the philosophy of political reconciliation … has also come to an end. Some political observers had termed it an unnatural alliance…. The PML-N failed the reconciliation idea when it withdrew its ministers from the federal cabinet. But the two rival parties continued their alliance in Punjab. It was hoped that both the parties would somehow complete the five-year tenure. Reconciliation in politics, that too in Pakistan, appears impossible. The JUI-F and MQM have also withdrawn their ministers from the federal cabinet. Where has reconciliation gone? It is nowhere to be seen. …After removal of the PPP from the Punjab government, it can be said that the two rival streams cannot remain united…. For the first time in history, a party has removed ministers without levelling charges against them. These were ministers who held portfolios of departments entrusted to them by the people. In principle, no party has the right to expel ministers from the cabinet — even morally this act cannot be justified. It is deplorable no one is thinking about the people's mandate…. No stone has been left unturned by the parties to harm their rival. The Charter of Democracy, promises and commitments have all been thrown away…. The war between the PPP and PML-N is untimely, and will further complicate the situation in the country, already in the grip of economic crises. Five years is not a long time, nor is it too small a period. During this tenure, political parties are supposed to solve a number of outstanding problems. …[Political parties] are supposed to compensate for the losses of the Musharraf era and solve political and economic issues. But it seems this grace period has been wasted in unnecessary disputes, controversies, clashes and superficial issues. Through artificially created crises, political parties have caused damage to themselves.… — (Feb 27) Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi