For One Side Or The Other, People Have Now Stood Up!

Revolution - is what many like to call it, but I would go with a more seasoned term - realization! People are now taking up streets to voice their needs and demands. This is the image of a more realized nation who has finally shown that yes they can stand united for a cause, no matter what it is. They have shown that they are capable of protesting peacefully and can face adverse conditions (weather and terrorist threats) and could still stand firm as a rock.


Over the two weeks Pakistan has seen quite a drama going on in its political wing where sudden serious changes have taken place. With Qadri’s long march in full swing, no one expected a little that PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf would be lashed out like this. On Tuesday, Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and 18 others on account of massive corruption pulled out of the Rental Power Plant case. Qadri congratulated the whole nation on this verdict of SC and considered his long march to be indirectly connected with SC’s decision. I was puzzled by this reaction of Qadri Sahab and quite impressed by his imagination to foresee such a link, however no matter how absurd it sounds or equally unlikely to have had happened, it is true that the timings of SC’s decision could not have been more controversial. With Raja Pervaiz’s son’s marriage hanging in the balance and Qadri’s demands up in the air to dissolve assemblies, SC decided to take PM all by itself.

So, with so much going on, opposition sat together and decided to oppose Qadri’s long march, categorizing it as unconstitutional. With PML (N)’s supporters and some lawyer factions, a rally was carried out to show solidarity and commitment to stand united in face of threats to democracy. Almost every political party has made its move and has decided its path. PPP is continuously trying to defame the long march using one tactic or the other. PML (N) with JUI and other parties have asked the government to announce the date of elections and have decided not to push the government much so that democracy could stay on its path. PTI, which looked confused at first as to join long march or not, ended up deciding that no they are better off without it. However Imran Khan did put out some demands as well, similar to those of Qadri’s, including the dissolution of election commission and constitution of a new impartial one. The immediate establishment of a fair impartial care taker set up is also a mutual demand of Khan and Qadri. But Imran emphasizes that change could only be brought through ballot and only a new elected democratic government, from a result of free and fair elections could be the only saving scheme for this country as well as for the weak democracy currently trying to keep breathing in it. PPP however, is trying to act sober in spite of all this heat and tension.

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Author: Maliha Naveed
Posted On: Thursday, January 17, 2013
Source: Pakistan Herald