Scripted and Sealed!

The country is in the grip of a contaminated winter. The ‘system’ and the ‘populace’ are falling prey to uncertainty, as the modus operandi of our governance is getting nasty. Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian novelist, wrote “…first time is a mistake, second time is a blunder, and third time is a decision.” There could not be any more apt analogy of what we are obsessed with in our state of affairs. Two incidents in the federal capital simply made a point that the rule of law is subjective, and our once assertive judiciary is now squarely subservient to the executive.
One: the PTI leadership is seen running from pillar to post to see that the court orders are honoured, as they long for an audience with incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In response, the vicinity of Adiala Jail on the night of World Human Rights Day (December 10) was turned into -- what many say -- the Tiananmen Square of Pakistan, as water cannons were thrown open on hapless supporters in the chills of winter. Unlike Beijing, Ankara, or Dhaka, there wasn’t any uprising. The party is not over, but has resigned to fate, perhaps.

Two: a spoiled brat, scion of a sitting judge, overran his vehicle in the wee hours over two girls, returning home after their midnight shift. These children of lesser gods had to die at the hands of a power-intoxicated heir. The state apparatus swung into action and absolved him of ‘charges’ in a jiff. This country, ironically, is home to annals of cases pending for decades.Ammar Masood, chief editor of WE News, was spontaneous as he wrote, “…the efficiency shown must come as motivation for the accused to become a jurist in days to come.” Alas, it is rightly said that when you have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail!

The passage of the 27th Amendment has changed Pakistan for all times to come. The state’s nomenclature is now thoroughly aristocratic, and ‘genuine’ public representation is a folklore of yesteryears. There shall be no room for dissent, is the writing on the wall. Thus, those vying for a catwalk in the bicameral must pass the litmus test of conscription. A stone-faced three-time Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, with a hanging jaw on the floor of the National Assembly, depicted utter capitulation. The rest is history. The future-forward will see the axing of the 18th Amendment, and carving of more provinces. It’s scripted and sealed!