"A non-issue, indeed"
Courtesy:- S Rahman
Building a heated controversy around the presidential election is an exercise in futility, besides being an unreasonable attempt on the part of intriguers to entangle the nation in unnecessary debates. Already, the nation is fed up with such controversies and debates that are spun with unique, rather odd, interpretations of the prevailing political scenario in the country.
Take, for example, the controversy gratuitously created with reference to the recently held presidential election in which the PML-N nominee, Mamnoon Hussain, secured majority votes from the Senate and National and Provincial Assemblies.
As regards the objection raised time and again by some opposition parties and leaders that the date previously fixed for the presidential election should not have been advanced by the apex court, is nothing but a move to divert the public attention away from the actual issues. The impression being given is as if the presidential candidates nominated by them would have won the election had the original date of August 6 not been changed by the court.
It is just like living in a fool’s paradise. The PML-N was in a very comfortable position from day one, i.e. from the day it came into power after the May 11, 2013, general elections that reinforced the party’s numerical strength in the national and provincial legislatures to a great extent.
In Punjab, PML-N got more than two-third majority and in other provinces too, except for Sindh, it was able to win considerable leverage enabling it to forge alliances and bag greater number of votes for its presidential candidate.
In Sindh, the PML-N leadership took the initiative with a good sense of timing and accommodation for other politicians and parties. This move was reciprocated befittingly by the MQM leadership under its chief Altaf Hussain’s instructions. It worked well thus taking PML-N out of morass that could have come its way had it failed to woo the MQM leadership.
But this does not mean that PML-N solely depended on the MQM support to win the election. As a matter of fact, given its majority in the overall parliamentary structure and Provincial Assemblies, PML-N could have succeeded in getting its presidential candidate elected even without MQM.
Despite this, Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, played the cards with dexterity that not only helped secure some votes from Sindh in favour of President-elect Mamnoon Hussain, but also lessened the severity of PML-N’s old estrangement with MQM. Indeed, this two-pronged move has laid the foundation of a yet stronger PML-N in future Sindh politics.
Certainly, there is no justification in raising a hue and cry over the advancement of presidential election schedule from August 6 to July 30. The change in the schedule was decided at no other forum, but the highest platform of justice - the Supreme Court that announces verdicts in the best national interest and strictly in accordance with the constitution and law of the land.
More so, reportedly, the Supreme Court passed the order for the change of date after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had submitted a plea before the higher judiciary that it would have no objection to the modification. Also, that it would implement its order in letter and in spirit.
Another important point that merits attention is the coincidence of the previously fixed date of August 6 with 27th of Ramazan, the night when majority of Muslims are engaged in religious ceremonies. And, as was stated by the government, a large number of the parliamentarians perform Itekaf in the last 10 days of the holy month during which the election date was fixed previously by the ECP.
It would have been in the fitness of things and, moreover, it would have added to national harmony and integration had the opposition parties opted to respect the Supreme Court’s verdict without making a fuss about it. Besides this, they should avoid the policy of opposition for the sake of opposition.
One thing that the PML-N detractors should keep in mind is that considering the legislative statistics, presidential candidate Mamnoon Hussain could not be defeated, even if the election would have been held on August 6.
Building a heated controversy around the presidential election is an exercise in futility, besides being an unreasonable attempt on the part of intriguers to entangle the nation in unnecessary debates. Already, the nation is fed up with such controversies and debates that are spun with unique, rather odd, interpretations of the prevailing political scenario in the country.
Take, for example, the controversy gratuitously created with reference to the recently held presidential election in which the PML-N nominee, Mamnoon Hussain, secured majority votes from the Senate and National and Provincial Assemblies.
As regards the objection raised time and again by some opposition parties and leaders that the date previously fixed for the presidential election should not have been advanced by the apex court, is nothing but a move to divert the public attention away from the actual issues. The impression being given is as if the presidential candidates nominated by them would have won the election had the original date of August 6 not been changed by the court.
It is just like living in a fool’s paradise. The PML-N was in a very comfortable position from day one, i.e. from the day it came into power after the May 11, 2013, general elections that reinforced the party’s numerical strength in the national and provincial legislatures to a great extent.
In Punjab, PML-N got more than two-third majority and in other provinces too, except for Sindh, it was able to win considerable leverage enabling it to forge alliances and bag greater number of votes for its presidential candidate.
In Sindh, the PML-N leadership took the initiative with a good sense of timing and accommodation for other politicians and parties. This move was reciprocated befittingly by the MQM leadership under its chief Altaf Hussain’s instructions. It worked well thus taking PML-N out of morass that could have come its way had it failed to woo the MQM leadership.
But this does not mean that PML-N solely depended on the MQM support to win the election. As a matter of fact, given its majority in the overall parliamentary structure and Provincial Assemblies, PML-N could have succeeded in getting its presidential candidate elected even without MQM.
Despite this, Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, played the cards with dexterity that not only helped secure some votes from Sindh in favour of President-elect Mamnoon Hussain, but also lessened the severity of PML-N’s old estrangement with MQM. Indeed, this two-pronged move has laid the foundation of a yet stronger PML-N in future Sindh politics.
Certainly, there is no justification in raising a hue and cry over the advancement of presidential election schedule from August 6 to July 30. The change in the schedule was decided at no other forum, but the highest platform of justice - the Supreme Court that announces verdicts in the best national interest and strictly in accordance with the constitution and law of the land.
More so, reportedly, the Supreme Court passed the order for the change of date after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had submitted a plea before the higher judiciary that it would have no objection to the modification. Also, that it would implement its order in letter and in spirit.
Another important point that merits attention is the coincidence of the previously fixed date of August 6 with 27th of Ramazan, the night when majority of Muslims are engaged in religious ceremonies. And, as was stated by the government, a large number of the parliamentarians perform Itekaf in the last 10 days of the holy month during which the election date was fixed previously by the ECP.
It would have been in the fitness of things and, moreover, it would have added to national harmony and integration had the opposition parties opted to respect the Supreme Court’s verdict without making a fuss about it. Besides this, they should avoid the policy of opposition for the sake of opposition.
One thing that the PML-N detractors should keep in mind is that considering the legislative statistics, presidential candidate Mamnoon Hussain could not be defeated, even if the election would have been held on August 6.
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