The Third Referendum

It is said that politics is all about the art of the impossible. In Pakistan, it has graduated to new heights: arm-twisting, manoeuvring ground realities, tweaking the law and resorting to the impugned law of necessity. Hybrid conjunction is an addition, though. The nation is apparently sliding into déjà vu. There are drumbeats for a Third Referendum. The beleaguered PML-N is contemplating invoking Article 48(6) of the Constitution to elicit public opinion on the creation of more provinces. In doing so, it would be putting the cart before the horse.

There is no clarity as to who has the plan. The provision requires a joint sitting of Parliament and a firm endorsement in the form of “ayes” before it can proceed. The riddle is this: had there been a consensus on the floor of the House, why resort to a plebiscite? The PPP has shown its cards. It will neither agree to the division of Sindh nor throw in the towel. The Sharifs, acting as the insulators, are choiceless. Their house is divided. Yet Jati Umrah has signed up for the Reich and is keeping their fingers crossed. They believe their skeletons will remain in the cupboard—from money laundering to G-series aircraft.

Otto von Bismarck, the first Chancellor of Germany, once said: “…never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.” Political parties across the spectrum are in cahoots. All favour decentralisation, but each comes with a price tag. The powers-that-be, however, are caught in a dilemma over whom to tap and whom to shunt out. The PTI, too, favours devolution, but wants a “just settlement” on its own terms. The Hercules in Adiala says it should be done with a new mandate. The rest are desperate to jump on the bandwagon.

The PPP has shown its cards. It will neither agree to the division of Sindh nor throw in the towel

The courts are out to determine the future of politics. No eyebrows should be raised. The Federal Constitutional Court is simply doing the job for which it was created. Axe the Supreme Court and turn it into an appellate court, too. Notwithstanding the petitions gathering dust under Article 184(3), the Lords seem more interested in cases that carry a connotation of the system in vogue. Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court pronounced a dictum that goes beyond his jurisdiction. He stopped short of telling the government that curbing freedom of movement is a constitutional violation too. Anyway, Islamabad adores a Berlin Wall-like barrier of containers as the first and last resort in desperation.

The apex court and its last Chief Justice, Yahya Afridi, have let down the institution. They have ceded their lawful territory to an impugned amendment to the Constitution. Apparently, contempt of court too is now a subjective affair. Suo moto is already a relic of the past. The three-member bench that ordered a medical examination for the imprisoned former Prime Minister was seen struggling to uphold its writ. They adjourned without incurring any consequences. Such capitulations have dented public trust and undermined the belief in the rule of law. The Executive, perhaps, had the last laugh.

Arson is a passing reference in Pakistan. It is not prosecuted thoroughly. At times, it has a jaundiced political venom. The 2012 Baldia factory fire, the 2023 Jaranwala church attacks, the 2026 Gul Plaza fire and now PIMS hardly make an impact on our conscience. The dusk leads to another dawn. No remorse. More than 14 babies in incubators at PIMS turned into charcoal. Not a single public outcry was seen countrywide, except momentary postings on social media. We have turned callous. The cover-up followed. The bruised parents have a life to mourn for no fault of their own. Our social fabric is turning worse than a jungle. Alas!

The nation is advised of austerity as men at the helm fly out daily in pursuit of geopolitical illusions. OGRA and relevant ministries painfully work till midnight to post a new inflation figure. They shamelessly transfer the impact from Hormuz to petrol pumps, spontaneously. What about the 20-day cushion reserves of OMCs? The people are fleeced with a Rs100-plus levy on every litre of gasoline. Then they are told fairy tales of relief and asked to tighten their belts. It is a vicious circle for commoners as the elite are exempt from its repercussions.

POSTSCRIPT: Ipsos says three in four people have lost faith in the country. Statistics are appalling: Infant mortality is 58 deaths per 1,000 births; 20% of people go to bed without a meal; and 40% of children are malnourished. A situation comparable to countries hit by civil war. Yet, it’s all normal. Extravagant weddings of the aristocracy keep the destitute amused for a while. They live on with a new hope-line.