Source : http://thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=36254&Cat=8
It is hard to know where we are headed or even which direction we are facing. The political uncertainty we have faced for months appears to have turned into a sea whipped up by a storm that could bring chaos of the worst kind. There is now growing doubt as to whether we, as a nation can withstand this – or whether at one point or the other things will simply fall apart. We have seen this happen more than once in the past. Today, we seem to be headed in that direction once more. We have a warning from Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the government seems unlikely to survive; Opposion leader in parliament Chaudhry Nisar Ali has warned that President Zardari is taking the country into a huge crisis and the PPP is reported to be considering more protests in Sindh over the appointment of the NAB Chairman. None of this augurs well for the country. The situation we see also gives rise to some basic questions. How long can we continue like this? How long can the country sustain the toll being taken? The chaos on the political scene means far more than material for TV talk shows or newspaper headlines. It means that we, in effect, have no governance, and there is instead, a paralysed system, which fails to deliver what people need. For months we have seen failures in this regard. A worsening state of affairs would plunge us into a crisis from which recovery would be still harder.
Sadly, there seems to be no recognition of this on the part of the government. Efforts remain focused on a bid to remain in power. The interior minister has been in touch with the MQM leaders in order to persuade them to offer the support the PPP needs. There is talk of dismissing the Sindh Home Minister whose comments triggered the latest crisis with the MQM. But such tinkering will lead us nowhere. While the PPP is desperate to save itself, what we actually need is a functional government. The absence of one will only lead to bigger problems for the people. Life is already veering towards the impossible for them because of an unchecked price hike and the multitudes of problems that arise from a dysfunctional system. Things cannot continue like this indefinitely. The time has come for the government to recognise the urgency of the state of affairs, and take immediate rescue measures. Unless this happens we will face only greater uncertainty with all its grim consequences.
It is hard to know where we are headed or even which direction we are facing. The political uncertainty we have faced for months appears to have turned into a sea whipped up by a storm that could bring chaos of the worst kind. There is now growing doubt as to whether we, as a nation can withstand this – or whether at one point or the other things will simply fall apart. We have seen this happen more than once in the past. Today, we seem to be headed in that direction once more. We have a warning from Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the government seems unlikely to survive; Opposion leader in parliament Chaudhry Nisar Ali has warned that President Zardari is taking the country into a huge crisis and the PPP is reported to be considering more protests in Sindh over the appointment of the NAB Chairman. None of this augurs well for the country. The situation we see also gives rise to some basic questions. How long can we continue like this? How long can the country sustain the toll being taken? The chaos on the political scene means far more than material for TV talk shows or newspaper headlines. It means that we, in effect, have no governance, and there is instead, a paralysed system, which fails to deliver what people need. For months we have seen failures in this regard. A worsening state of affairs would plunge us into a crisis from which recovery would be still harder.
Sadly, there seems to be no recognition of this on the part of the government. Efforts remain focused on a bid to remain in power. The interior minister has been in touch with the MQM leaders in order to persuade them to offer the support the PPP needs. There is talk of dismissing the Sindh Home Minister whose comments triggered the latest crisis with the MQM. But such tinkering will lead us nowhere. While the PPP is desperate to save itself, what we actually need is a functional government. The absence of one will only lead to bigger problems for the people. Life is already veering towards the impossible for them because of an unchecked price hike and the multitudes of problems that arise from a dysfunctional system. Things cannot continue like this indefinitely. The time has come for the government to recognise the urgency of the state of affairs, and take immediate rescue measures. Unless this happens we will face only greater uncertainty with all its grim consequences.
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