Clash of the Titans

The internal and external challenges gathering on Pakistan’s horizon seem ominous. According to the latest press reports “The President continues to take shots at Sharifs” The Chairman of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, in a public address, has dared to defy the Apex Court and decided to approach the court of the people. The contempt proceedings against the Prime Minister have entered the final crucial stage. Just like the NRO case, the Memogate commission is also facing defiance and disobedience of the court orders which are becoming the order of the day.
As a result, law and order have completely broken down. The country is in the grip of riots for reasons that need not be repeated. While the bells of anarchy are ringing loud and clear, the political leadership, inside and outside the parliament, is locking horns in a mutual suicide attempt, to the delight of anti-Pakistan forces.
The stage is the set not only for the political and Economic destabilization of the State, but also bringing into disrepute, the armed forces which are the only guardians of our nuclear assets, but also the higher judiciary which protects fundamentals rights of the people and ensures rule of law to all citizens without fear or favour.
All rulers since independence are guilty of defying by design or through incompetence, the directives of the founder father. According to the well-known historic statement of the second Caliph Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab, “even if a dog dies for lack of food and care, under his rule, the Ruler i.e. Umer Bin KhattabRH shall be responsible to Allah Almighty for the this negligence in the performance of his good governance. If the Supreme Court of Pakistan interprets the Islamic Justice in the light of the above back ground, the present rulers seem to have forfeited their right to govern and must therefore be dealt with accordingly.
Not only this but a much bigger threat is in the process of taking birth in the minds of the rulers that the supreme right of interpreting the constitution, rests with the parliament and not the Apex Court of the State. It is quite apparent from the recent statements of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Members and other senior members of the ruling political party that the Parliament is supreme in all matters including interpretation of the constitution. The constitutional experts of the country must takes note of this dangerous deviation from the constitution and any misunderstanding on this crucial and fundamental issue must be removed before any clash ensues between the major organs of the state, thus destroying the vary soul and spirit of the 1973 constitution.
The nation is facing multiple threats. Internally, the economy has taken a nosedive. Rupee has depreciated by 50 percent. Inflation is running at double digits with prices of some commodities increasing more than 100 percent. Acute shortage of gas and electricity has not only made the lives of the common man a living hell, but has also adversely impacted the industrial production. Dacoits and kidnappings are rife.  Karachi the economic hub is “on fire”. Riots are erupting all over the country. Railway lines, power pylons and Sui gas pipeline are being regularly blown up. The internal and external debt has doubled – from Rs. 5.4 trillion to above 11 trillion and counting poverty index has double above 51 percent (UN Report). Corruption and nepotism have touched new heights. The situation is Balochistan continues to remain explosive, internal and external enemies of Pakistan are not leaving any stone unturned to exploit. The latest statement of the Chief Minister of Balochistan should serve as an eye opener. What can be done to arrest the accelerating downwards spiral, which if not checked, is likely to end up in total collapse of the government machinery.
The Pakistan National Forum held an emergency session to ponder over the prevailing crises gripping the country and suggested the above course as the only constitutional way to bring about political stability  and hence economics prosperity to ensure democracy and rule of law as per the vision of the founder father.

n    The writer is President of the Pakistan National Forum.
    Email: ikramullahkhan1@yahoo.com

The writer is President of the Pakistan National Forum.

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