The PPP’s core committee, at a meeting chaired by the President and also attended by the Prime Minister on Thursday, persisted in the party’s attitude of open defiance towards certain key Supreme Court’s verdicts, which involve its top hierarchy. For instance, it declared that the government would inform the SC that the NRO verdict had largely been carried out and, at the same time, since the President enjoyed immunity under the Constitution, the government would not be writing to the Swiss authorities to reopen the cases against him. The court, on the other hand, had decreed that the Swiss courts must be contacted in writing. Also, it had unambiguously held that anyone seeking immunity would have to receive the court’s confirmation of it. Similarly, terming the memo, on which the nation’s attention has been riveted since it came to light, a mere piece of paper was considered grave enough for a specially constituted commission to probe into it's authenticity and origins. The PPP core committee should have explained how ‘a piece of paper’ resulted in former ambassador Haqqani being relived of his job and in assigning the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to do the probe. The committee also decided that the President would not be appearing before the commission investigating the memogate scandal.
It is unfortunate that the PPP and the government, who claim to be working for strengthening democratic institutions in the country, is failing to satisfy the concerns of the highest judicial authority. This is unheard of in a democratic polity and is counterproductive to the cause of democracy. It carries serious and far-reaching implications for the rule of law in the country. Constitutional and legal proprieties call for eschewing the posture of defiance to the Supreme Court forthwith and compliance with its decisions.
Coming out of the core committee meeting, Federal Minister Khurshid Shah revealed that the Senate elections would be held in February instead of the scheduled March of this year and the general elections could take place any time after the budget has been presented, in the month of June. Reportedly, an understanding on these issues has been reached between the PPP and PML-N. It is also being surmised that an agreement to elect candidates unopposed has been made between the two. One cannot help concluding from these developments that the authorities feel that sooner or later they would be cornered by the pressure of Supreme Court verdict to give in. Therefore, they plan to rush into holding Senate elections to secure their positions in the Upper House. And the early general elections might also be a response to the challenge being posed by Pakistan Tehrik-i Insaf, apprehending that given full one year, it might gain even greater popularity.