It’s been relatively quiet after the crazy-making last few weeks. Keeping up with the news about Pakistani politics is like suffering a bipolar episode. One day you’re expecting the overthrow of the government, babbling to anyone who will listen that you will accept another military government when hell freezes over, thinking of possible headlines to express shock, fury, displeasure and withering disdain all at once (in under 10 words) and nodding sympathetically when opinions like, “there’s no way he’ll survive this one,” are voiced. And then, just like that, it’s all gone. Nothing to worry about, nothing to see here folks, move along.
The Prime Minister presented himself to the Supreme Court, which appeared to accept his offering of a personal visit and his lawyer’s offering of a defence comprising a debate on the President’s immunity. The army, placated by a retraction of the PM’s statement about its allegedly ‘unconstitutional’ actions, after a blistering press release from the ISPR, condemning such utterances, has assumed a quieter posture than before. Mr Mansoor Ijaz, whose arrival and subsequent testimony, were expected to feed the fire in the memo frenzy, had to first defend his cameo appearance as a commentator in a pop video, featuring scantily-clad female wrestlers filmed in slow motion - and then suffered being called the ‘boy who cried wolf’ after he bluntly refused to come to Pakistan, no matter what security guarantees were offered and by whom.
There was no coup after all, the Supreme Court did not dismiss the Prime Minister in Courtroom 3, the irony of press releases detailing ‘farewell calls’ made on the PM by outgoing ambassadors was enjoyed at the time and is now forgotten. Mansoor Ijaz’s ipse dixits are reminiscent of successfully defused bombs. Copies of the Constitution have been bookmarked at the relevant pages, ready to be flipped open in a moment of crisis. Observers, who had sat up and licked their pencils in preparation of finally penning the impending eulogy on the long-plagued Pakistani democracy, scratched off another one of the nine-lives of the Gilani-Zardari led government, instead.
Today, the Prime Minister is riding high on the success of his ‘business as usual’ performance at Davos. Mansoor Ijaz was last spotted leaving the exclusive London club, Boujis, thus rebutting any doubts anyone may have had about his highly placed connections (being on that guest list is a pretty big deal). Nawaz Sharif has also been relieved of the urgency he felt about pursuing memogate, called off his hounds and himself flown off to Europe on a personal trip. General (retd) Musharraf has decided to delay his trip to Pakistan for what feels like the hundredth time. If he is sticking to tradition, he may announce yet another due date sometime soon. Although, in the interest of mixing it up, I hope he doesn’t. Only ends up embarrassing himself, best avoided until he’s sure.
Thus, in short, ties between the civilian government and military are on the mend. The Senate elections, which had seemed threatened by uncertainty, appear to be in no immediate danger. Early elections will, probably, only be as early as October. And so far, it seems the PPP-led government will be delivering its fifth budget this June, instead of a caretaker setup as was being predicted following the tumultuous political situation in the last several weeks.
This, then, is an obituary of an obituary that is no longer required. I should add, for the time being - because, only in Pakistan would it not be unbelievable for this column to be completely irrelevant by the time the paper makes it to your breakfast table. Keeping up with the news in Pakistan, convinces you that there really is such a thing as stranger than fiction.
Email: rnizami@nawaiwaqt.com.pk