To be or not to be Most political parties with a stake in the present political system find themselves between a rock and a hard place when it comes to supporting or opposing military courts. The internal squabbling between those supporting military courts and those opposing it on constitutional or democratic grounds is rocking political parties. What most proponents of either argument cannot rationalize is that after wasting precious time to start delivering on issues of collective concern, the ‘dye has been cast.’ Those opposing the military courts fear the creeping martial law and prefer to protect their democratic credentials for future democratic politics. Those supporting cannot risk offending the proponents of military courts to either remain in power or to insure a future stake in the political pie. What most politicians refuse to rationalize is that they are in the unenviable situation of ‘heads we lose, and tails they win.’ Even some of the leading legal lights after supporting the formation of military courts are now trying to wriggle out under absurd definitions of terror. For example, innocent people killed by terrorists with a religious inclination would fall under the purview of the military courts and all other similar acts would not. By inference, terror acts by Baloch separatists would be heard by the civil courts as the perpetrators are secular in inclination whereas cases of terrorism by the Taliban or Sectarian outfits would be heard in the military courts. Logic based solely on ideology can never be logical even if it is made by logical minds. The more the politicians drag their feet on the formation of anti-terror military courts under different pretexts, a likely scenario, the more they would reinforce building public opinion of their incapacity to govern even under extraordinary circumstances. An impression which could blow out of proportion in case of another major terrorist attack before the politicians could put their act together, if at all. The military courts are likely to be formed with or without the present political dispensation. Those supporting the military courts in the hope of saving the political system are as mistaken as those who think by opposing the military courts they can save it and at the same time keep their democratic credentials alive. If the much rumored ‘Nod’ is there to assume the lead role in stabilizing the Af-Pak. Region, it is only a matter of time for the axe to fall. What happens after that is a moot point. Either we would be allowed to stabilize after a period of ruthless re-engineering or we would be put through the sword of ‘controlled chaos’ or ‘internal implosion.’ For most of us with little leverage to change the course of events, the only devils option left for us is as they say ‘if rape is inevitable, might as well enjoy it.’ Footnote: Those who think that the thoughts in the post are outlandish need not waste their energies venting their frustration at me. Just wait for the events to unfold in the coming few weeks possibly months and in the meantime keep praying for the best.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 18:40:19 +0000
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