Zardari's second golden reign in making

Posted on 10 months ago

Good Morning by Manzoor Ali
President Zardari has expressed his wish to arrange a roundtable conference of all political parties to agree on solutions to the problems of the nation.
A conference around a round table, an oval or a square table does not make any difference, for if the hearts or interests of the negotiating parties are not at odds with each other a consensus will be arrived at.
Forgetting for a while that the shape and size of the table plays no role in successful meetings, we should consider as to why on the PPP's wishes the MQM has suddenly come out on the forefront to carry the president's message.
The MQM it seems had an overnight change of heart and was even ready to shake hands with the 'dreaded extremist reactionary right wing party', the Jamaat Islami. Its delegation visited Mansoora, the JI's headquarters, and handed over the president's basket of goodwill and consensus to the JI chief Manawar Hussein. ANP has by coincidence had the same overnight change of heart, it seems on the same night, and its leader Haji Adil could not stop his lips from spreading into a smile as he received the MQM delegation at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad. MQM agreed to clean off Karachi from weapons, previously it wanted to de-weaponise the whole country first before laying hands on the armed bandits of the mega city; ANP, on the other hand, very pleasantly agreed to take illegal arms away out of the hands of the culprits in the whole country and did not insist on starting a cleanup operation, if there was going to be one, in Karachi.
The wonderful thing is that all this is happening when there are just a few months to the general elections and the coalition governments whether central or provincial do not have the time to launch anything major, let alone, de-weaponise Karachi or the whole country.
Nevertheless, it seems, that we may see reductions in the bloody murders taking place in Karachi; at least, till the polling for the general elections take place; after that it might be the same old story: a dozen target killings will be routine in Karachi and on 'special' days we may see two to four dozen Karachiites meeting their maker unexpectedly; probably, as a reward for re-electing the PPP-led coalition.
It can be that the efforts for Zardari type of consensus fizzle out like the efforts to reduce load shedding has; or it can be that the government is able to reduce murders in Karachi and the number of load shedding hours just a month or two before the polling day, which will be a respite no matter how short-lived.
Three factors go in favour of the PPP-led coalition parties. a) they have become sweet on each other only months before elections; b) they areready to set aside their ego and meet opponents such as JI to soften the stance, but the most important factor is that whether by design or naiveté of its leader Imran Khan, PTI is bent upon doing all it can to divide the PML-N vote and give a walkover to the PPP come polling day. If Imran Khan succeeds in his efforts and stays away from any alliance with Nawaz Sharif, we may see another five years of the Golden Rule of Zardari.
After the general elections, God willing, when the PPP and its coalition partners are reinstalled in the government, electricity may become as rare as lightening from the heavens; wheat grain may sell at the rate of gold. But that is not Imran's problem. He sees it better to take the slim chance of winning elections and becoming the prime minister then sharing power in the next general elections with parties who also hold anti-PPP vote.
From his point of view, it is right that he makes this try no matter how slim the chances. The general elections following this general election, which are just around the corner, Imran will be over seventy and will probably not even be physically fit to lead either his party or a government. For him it is now or never and win all or lose all.
Thinking of all this, I have already started collecting grains of wheat to sell these at the rate of gold during the next PPP government. I am also trying to capture lightening in bottles to brighten my dark nights. I am contemplating digging a well near my home in the hope of finding gas and if this well doesn't give gas, I will dig another. It cannot be that hard finding gas in Pakistan when the whole country is stinking with the nasty odour of various poisonous gases of greed, selfishness and politics of self-interest just ready to ignite and put the nation on fire.
goodmorningfp@yahoo.com
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