As the country awaits some kind of good news, some kind of an exit strategy from a national political crisis with seemingly no end, the chief protagonists themselves appear strangely comfortable with the impasse continuing.

Instead of the focus being on urgently moving forwards in talks between the two sides, both the government and its opponents, the PTI and PAT, seem more interested in taking aim at each other.

As ever, Tahirul Qadri has led the way in strange and unnecessary antics: this time first calling for a campaign of defacing currency notes with anti-Nawaz Sharif statements, only to hours later withdraw the campaign as it appeared to have dawned on Mr Qadri that defacement would render the currency notes useless and so cause monetary losses to his supporters.

It is not yet known quite what will become of the hunger strike that Mr Qadri also announced on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan decided to take the law into his own hands and free PTI supporters detained by the Islamabad police in the early hours of yesterday.

Also Read: Dar warns Qadri against ‘misleading’ people on scribbling notes

Apparently, Mr Khan has realised that his national fame makes it possible for him to waylay police vehicles and free detained individuals — and then berate the police.

Of course, anything the PTI and Mr Qadri do, the government is often able and willing to best them. Seemingly emboldened by the pro-democracy army statement over the weekend, the government has taken to arresting protest organisers and PTI and PAT supporters on technical grounds.

Also Read: Case registered against Imran Khan for releasing arrested activists

Suddenly remembering that Section 144 is still in force in the federal capital and that loudspeakers cannot be used beyond certain decibel levels is truly the stuff of farce — and all that more depressing given that this is what a federal government has been reduced to.

What should be done — though whether it will be done is another matter altogether — is for the advanced stage of talks between the government and the PTI and PAT teams respectively to be moved along quickly and decisively.

If the government is unable to make the PTI and PAT listen to reason on their own, then it should bring other opposition politicians directly into the talks instead of keeping them on the periphery.

If the PTI and PAT are appalled at the government’s push against their supporters, then they should focus more on talks instead of public theatrics and provocative statements.

A negotiated settlement ought to be the only acceptable solution to all sides.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2014