NO one is in opposition, everyone is in government. We have as well as do not have an opposition. …PPP is in power; is PML-N not in government? PML-F, PML-Q, MQM, ANP, legislators from Fata, JUI-F and other religious parties are in one way or the other part of the government. …Even so, the problems of the common man remain unsolved. …The PML-N says as the PPP is at the centre, it is responsible for solving all problems. Regarding the protests in Punjab, the PPP will say that the PML-N is in government in the province, so why is it not solving problems. In Karachi, regarding the law and order situation, the MQM will say that it does not hold the home department portfolio and therefore cannot do anything…. Strangely, everyone is responsible but is not owning responsibility. It is for the first time in our country that all opponents are in government at the same time. …This is the miracle of reconciliation. …Five years have passed but the hard times continue. …[A]fter four years, the graph of problems has not come down.

…People would not have many complaints if there had been an undemocratic government. But in the case of a democratic one, they have a right to complain. Democratic governments are responsible to the people, they have to go back to people…. Therefore political parties should not opt for reconciliation to stay in power. They should opt for reconciliation to solve the public’s problems. When someone says that the country is passing through difficult times it should be kept in mind that the people are suffering more in these difficult conditions. …In the forthcoming elections, these political parties will again go to the people and might win seats. But their lack of performance would result in a low turnout. This would strengthen the idea held by undemocratic forces that political parties have no capability to solve the problems of the people. …If problems remain unsolved, power is meaningless. — (June 26)

Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi