President’s dual office case has been going on for quite some time now. In almost every hearing the litigant applies a tactic for more time. This is exactly what happened during the hearing on Tuesday, when Mr Wasim Sajjad, tried to skirt round the issue by reciting out loud article 248(2) of the constitution, that since the President enjoyed immunity, no criminal action whatsoever could be initiated against him. The Lahore High Court’s proclamation, however, that the President could submit a written reply by February 6 assuring that he would give up either of the two offices he holds at the moment, and have the contempt proceedings withdrawn constitutes an olive branch that should not be turned away. This is a reasonable stand or rather bears out consideration of the circumstances the Mr Zardari is in, compared to a statement in a previous hearing that defiance amounted to shaking the foundations of the constitution. It shows that the court is also trying to temper it’s behaviour to be less harsh.
It goes without saying that the repercussions of the president who has to be non-partisan and neutral while he conducts the duties of his office behaving like a parochial individual would rather sever the already weak chain that binds the federation. The strategy by the President of buying time will do more harm than good to his already sagging reputation. Initially when the petition was filed in the Lahore High Court, the government simply preferred to ignore the issue. We have the example of how the letter to the Swiss court was written after a considerable waste of time. If that is what is being done in the present case, which very much seems to be the case, it is only unfortunate. Out of court, it is further disappointing that the PPP ministers keep on with their bombardment of arguments largely on the premise that since the presidents’ office was inherently a political office, the court’s demand that it becomes apolitical is strange and cannot be met. Clearly, it suggests a defiant mood.
Now with the elections fast approaching, the presidency has become the hub of politics and there is the aspect of the Election Commission keeping a close watch on the emerging canvass. And besides, already the President has had enough of politics; the twilight of his tenure should, therefore, be spared the trouble of bringing discredit to his legacy.