The plot thickens

Published March 27, 2010

Just when it seemed finally we may be getting somewhere, Nawaz Sharif decided nope, not yet – this saga needs another twist. And what great timing he had! With this plot in mind, just before the constitutional amendment bill was supposed to be signed, the PML-N chief backtracked on the party’s stance on the judge’s appointment issue and renaming of the NWFP.

Where President Zardari can easily be criticised and constantly labeled as corrupt, here he would have come out the president under whom accomplishments such as an NFC award and Gilgit-Baltistan autonomy took place. The constitutional amendment package could have had a happy conclusion too if Sharif hadn’t thrown a fit last minute. By not supporting this amendment, he has automatically made himself the antagonist who some may feel is not happy about PPP taking credit for this historic bill. Among all the other not-so-great things Nawaz Sharif might be known for, now he is the leader of the party due to which the journey towards a major triumph has been stalled. Some might even ask if his perpetual criticism of Zardari is even legit now that he is the one who is coming between the movement towards progress.

PML-N may have not expected Zardari would get rid off his powers, but since things didn’t go according to plan, Sharif perhaps panicked – one less thing for him to complain about during his press conferences.

And the amount of fuss being thrown by Sharif’s party over renaming the NWFP makes it seem as if Punjab is being renamed! Will renaming the province “Pakhtoonkhwa” really wipe out the party in the province, as Sharif fears? Either way, Sharif is not ready to back down on this one and insists that the leadership should wait for consensus, even if it takes time. Taking too much time, however, may have other implications.

The number of judges was increased by requests made by the PML-N but oh wait, the “mechanism” agreed for the judges’ appointment was unacceptable. The reforms package was finalised only after complete consensus so can the committee chairman Raza Rabbani really be blamed for being extremely frustrated? Can we really be blamed for having a lack of faith in certain indecisive leaders bent on ruling a nation that is aching for some sort of consistency and stability?

Shyema Sajjad is a Desk Editor at Dawn.com

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