The news about Nawaz Sharif’s possible return in September this year proves that democracy cannot perform without popular leaders. The establishment has seemingly accepted it. So, to revive democracy and to ensure an equal level playing field, the return of Nawaz Sharif has become inevitable. It is time is to undo past errors. It is an opportune moment for the judiciary as well.
Politics has been judicialised in Pakistan. The judiciary arbitrates political issues. In doing so, it has destroyed its credibility, stature and merit. The purpose of the judiciary is to provide justice to people, not to meddle in politics to pave a path for hybrid experiments.
The dismissal of Nawaz Sharif was a tragedy for Pakistan. It was done on fabricated charges over Iqama. Are the powers that be presently trying to undo their previous mistakes by allowing Nawaz Sharif to return? Why did they remove him from the PM office in the first place?
To atone of the past, it must become neutral for all times to come. It must create an equal level playing field for all stakeholders in politics of the country, and it must reduce its own Frankenstein powers.
The powers that be must realize that for Pakistan to move forward, experiments in hybridism must come to an end as people have lost patience, and inflation, corruption and unemployment are alarmingly high. People want a balanced political setup that can address their problems. They are fed-up with political experiments that bring in more chaos, mayhem and fist-fighting.
The hybrid experiment has failed nationally as well as internationally, as Imran Khan messed up with China by failing to stop attacks on Chinese nationals and accusing the US of hatching a conspiracy to oust him.
Amid the political tussle between the military establishment and politicians over control of the country, the parliament has been rendered dysfunctional. Ironically, the project to bring Imran Khan to power has backfired. Khan’s aim was to use the judiciary and the state machinery against his political opponents – which evidently has put the country in jeopardy, especially the economy. Owing to his recklessness, Pakistan was about to default on the financial front, till Miftah Ismail and his team took some tough decisions to push it toward economic recovery.
The hybrid experiment has failed nationally as well as internationally, as Imran Khan messed up with China by failing to stop attacks on Chinese nationals and accusing the US of hatching a conspiracy to oust him. Khan tried to show himself as a messiah of the ummah by calling up an OIC meeting. He used his position to settle issues such as child abuse and pornography, and not to serve the more important strategic and economic interests of Pakistan.
Imran Khan is an unreliable player. He is a neophyte who has admitted that he did not have power and he was used by the agencies to get bills passed.
In a nutshell, Pakistan has to move forward. The time has come for reviving democracy, economy and parliament. A level playing field must be set for the next elections. The whole of Pakistan is hoping to end the hybrid regime, for forever.