While National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s ruling on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s conviction in the contempt of court case was not unexpected, the reaction it drew from opposition parties, especially the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was not entirely surprising either.
PTI, as well as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have decided to challenge the speaker’s decision in the Supreme Court, and leaders of both parties have been busy threatening a ‘long march’ against the present government.
Is the opposition’s stance on the ruling a principled one, or the parties attempting to give a political spin to the situation?
Will Pakistani politicians create a standoff between the country’s premier institutions or is this a sign of a real change in the country’s political future?
Are rallies, long marches and political altercations the solution to the problems Pakistan faces? Or, should all political parties try and reach a consensus on a means to take the country forward?
Dawn.com invites its readers to share their views…
Taking matter of speaker’s decision not to send Priminister Gilani’s disqualification to Election Commission of Pakistan to Court is quite natural, as then any criminal can occupy any post in Pakistan. If speaker has all the right in the world to declare any criminal INNOCENT, then it would be quite wise to wrap up the whole judicial system, and all criminals should be vetted by speaker.
Whether, Opposition has any agenda or not, are we as a nation will condone all sorts of criminals and will allow scoundrels to occupy the post of President or Priminister? Pity on us.
In my wisdom, PML-N, which is on opposition benches in parliament, is simply discrediting the government to gain political mileage on different issues of public interest. I am not going to defend the performance of the government, but it is an undeniable fact that this government has strengthened the state organs through historical constitutional amendments. It also paved the way for third primeministership, and apparently it will benefit the Chief of PML . If this government can be blamed for short-doings or poor performance, the PML, which is wielding power in the big province of Punjab, has shown no better performance. The acts of opposition are creating unhealthy situation in Pakistan, and this may give chance to third forces to overthrow the nascent democracy in Pakistan. Therefore, the opposition should avoid long marches and politics of confrontation, as is experience in India, and let the government complete its tenure. The opposition may agree on mechanism for transparent elections, and prove its superiority in polls.
Waiting for the elections, lets see what happens then.
Opposition seems to be in total disarray – PML(N) and PTI have failed to give anything concrete in terms of direction to the common man – they simply are hounding with masses for un-useful causes from last 1-2 years instead of going yet-again to Supreme Court – they should have negotiated and discussed this matter in the Parliament. The opposition have created a habit of using SC shoulder (from last 4years or so) for all their misfortunes and this shows their inability to tackle Government in the Parliament. I very strongly feel that instead of challenging Speakers Ruling in the SC – PML(N) atleast (as they have stakes in the NA) should not have gone to the court – PTI on the other hand has nothing to loose in the NA they will just try to add shout and noise in the crowd with empty slogans.
Supreme Court – has found yet again another opportunity to come out clean – the judges should simply revert this case back to the Parliament for resolve instead of opening another Pandora-Box for the remaining short period left with the government to plan next elections with help of opposition.
Nicely put.
When are we going to get rid of all these politicians. PML N, PPP, please leave the people of Pakistan alone. You have made enough money in whatever way you saw fit. PLEASE LEVAE PAKISTAN & PAKISTANIS ALONE and for God sake, go back to your palaces in Pakistan or even better to your overseas palaces…..PLEASE
“PTI on the other hand has nothing to loose in the NA they will just try to add shout and noise in the crowd with empty slogans”…………..Mr Home Grown, you shouldn’t behaving like that about PTI mate, because PTI is the party of civilised representatives and followers, so we will never take any unconstitutional step to derail democracy and destabilise already fragile country………Hope u got my view point….thank n peace.
Most of the policies of PML-N have failed so far. With such a low performance and ineptness of the present government, any opposition would be touching heights of popularity. But due to their main character (Nawaz Sharif), their inconsistent stance as opposition and dismal performance of Punjab government, PML-N faces threat of losing some seats to PTI in the next general election. In fact, PML-N is to be blamed in part for low performance of the present government. PML-N’s stand on Gilani’s contempt of court matter being one simple example of useless opposition that PML-N has played. Sad.
Leaders come from the people. The leaders will not change unless the people do.
And the people will never change as they have a genetic problem. Thousands of years of slavery of foregin masters have made them into the best slaves but the worst masters!
Our opposition parties do nt have the any agenda to solve the problems the people of this poor country faced. They used the issues which have no relevance the problems we faced. N league did nt have any programme tackle the energy crisis or the worsening law and order situation. They used the for their dirty politics such as memo and others. Our opposition parties need to come with some real agenda on issues like energy crisis education terrorism. No opposition leader like to comment onpak us relation. They try to use supreme court for there own dirty design. Targeting the civilian govt is always easy for media courts.
PML-N & PTI are always looking for small things to turn them into bigger and bigger things. Each and every time they seek Judicial interference. Judiciary should throw out their cases and threaten them with contempt for filling non relevant cases. As an outsider I see no future for Imran or two big brothers. Country is suffering from various crisis which both opposition parties have looked other side. Do they care for people? I am afraid not. If they (specially PML-N) come to power, there will be more trouble as they have been inefficient leaders so far and equally corrupt. Pakistan needs fresh blood of younger leaders and present leadership has done so by appointing active diplomats specially women. Zardari of the past was different and Zardari of present is different. He is the only leader who has kept Army away from politics and has tried to overcome shortcomings. He needs help not hatred. Contempt case on PM was uncalled for. Justice wants PM to write to Switzerland. My question is? Why can’t court write the letter? Why is judiciary after PM and present government but have done nothing drastic to give proper judgement. One has to realize that present government is party also governed by Defense Forces. To keep equal balance has been difficult for present government. Judiciary has failed for not taking any action on finding out who was holding OBL nor is present government taking any action as Army has good hold on such things.
As an outsider,you have no clue Mr.Ramani,you are very well misinformed.The fact of the matter is that PML-N,PTI and Zardari/Galani,they are all the same.They are all talk,no one walks the walk.Lets be real here.There is no interest for the people or to solve the issues for the people,these parties are only interested in the people when it comes election time.The people are still suffering from no water,no electricity,no gas,no jobs,no education,the list goes on and on.So how is it that PPP is working for the people.PM said that the new budjt will be people friendly,really? when,oh I get it,its time to get re-elected again.
What a pathetic view?I don’t know who’ll buy your comments.how can supreme court write letter in the presence of so called functional PM who’s duty bound to carryout the instructions of the court.The nations simply loose their pride and honor by compromising on blunders.it’s a sign of further deterioration by defying the orders.
Why is he reluctant to write a letter to Swiss authorities?PTI has rightly knocked the court.My Dear,think as a
citizen of this ill-fated country.Your remain two pillars r virtually dysfunctional.It’s a ray of hope or else
be ready for the disastrous end.
Everyone has a rights to comments. As i feel PML-N is distrubed from PTI. PTI is giving them hard time which they were not expected before 30th October 2011.
Today the PML-N’s popularity trend is in declining position the coz of their strategy makers. Instead of giving a correct and authentic suggestion to shareef bros. to handle PTI these stupid guys attack and start elegation on PTI without authentic proof and trying to start the baseless propoganda against PTI. Also they suggested to bribe the media and anchors to go against PTI, which will show their ethical values.
I feel the pml-n has no strategy to stop the tsaunami of PTI. I really dont understand why Shareef bros. are giving them more attention and accepting their baseless proposals. If they will continue these type of stupidity in future will loose their rating more.
Now its upto Shareef bros. to go with these people or change their strategy and keep khawaja rafiq on board. And my request to shareef bros. if they really wanted to be in the politics then stop these khawaja asif, rana sana, siddiq farooq, ch. nisar, mushahidullah and hanif abbasi.
As per my analyst, the PTI is gaining and the stand of PTI is more relevant then others. Corruption free slogan can be beat any other slogan. They have already open some of their strategies which are acceptable by nation. I feel sorry for PML-N, this time at least my vote will go to PTI only.
no comment b/c my comments are never printed
Yeah I agree they twist it.I don’t know where to knock.
As this is politics, so there motive is also politics. Opposition has done nothing to make life easy for the Common, nor they plan to do…
The current govt. came into being with PML(N)’s support and now they just want someone as scapegoat for all the crisis
One should not group PTI and PML-N petition together. Imran Khan, since 1997 (his entry into politics) has talked about rule of law and 4 INDEPENDENT institutions as watch dogs – Judiciary, Police, Accountability and Election Commission. For PTI it is more a case of rule of law and moral authority. Hence their earlier petition on bogus votes and this time including Election commission as well.
for PML-N it is age old politics – they want to now look like real opposition and distance themselves for PPP as much as possible. The easier way is to follow the only true voice in the country – Imran Khan. From Memo to NATO – from Energy policy to secretrian voiloence, from Long March to PM disqualification petition, PML-N has followed PTI and tried to make a louder sound.
My advice — wait for by the year end elections — as Faiz would say — “chund roze aur meri jaan faqat chund hee roze” — unless Imran would like to skip this election as well as he did the 2008 one – on one pretext or another.
For the poor PML(N) — between Zardari and Imran is being between the rock and the hard place. They should start preparing for the upcoming mother of all elections – instead of rabble rousing on the streets or whirling around the SC premises.
Upcoming elections and change of this potted plant government by the ballot box — that is where the opposition’s focus should be – not the wilderness of engineering a judicial coup d’etat.
Now what can one say on your thoughtful views.May God give u the wisdom to at least appropriately use it.