AZADI and inquilab marches have their own importance for many reasons.

Putting aside the charter of demands and claims and counterclaims, one thing is clear; perhaps, for the first time in the history of Pakistan, except for the PTI and PAT, all opposition parties, the Pakistan military and the United States are supporting the democratic process in Pakistan.

In the past, we have no such example of the worst crisis as now.

The main opposition party, the PPP, is one step forward to support the current existing parliament and democratic process. We hardly see such sort of goodwill gesture from the main opposition party as the PPP has shown. The current standstill between the ruling PML-N and the PTI-PAT is not a good omen for democracy in Pakistan.

So all stakeholders of national and international power politics have put their faith into the former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari. Almost everybody seems to be relying on him for holding the supremacy of parliament and continuing the democratic process in Pakistan. Some believe that Mr Zardari should act as a guarantor to diffuse the crisis.

I am afraid that the deadlock between the PMLN and the PTI-PAT could pose a risk to democracy and would compel the military as a last resort to save the state.

All my prayers and best wishes are with the current democratic process. I strongly believe that continuity of the democratic process would lead us to a “Naya Pakistan”; not protests and marches.

R.K. Saif

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2014