The first day of the last week of June as well as of the third Ashra was characterized by two important developments.
In the first development the Army Chief took upon himself the neglected task of taking the crucial last steps towards the goal of making Karachi terrorism-free as far as any big city can be made.
There has recently been an alarming breakdown of law and order in Karachi which is widely regarded as a logical consequence of the Sindh government’s reluctance to act no-holds-barred in bringing the perpetrators of violence and terrorism to task alongwith their facilitators and patrons.
The concerned high officials of the Sindh Police have not been signing the JIT reports of certain key culprits on the basis of whose testimony many a crocodile are likely to be netted. This leniency displayed on the part of the police officials at the behest of the higher authority, they are responsible to, has convinced many potential practitioners of crime and violence that they need not sit back, because of the fear of punishment. They may get caught but the system ultimately will come to their rescue.
The Army Chief held an extraordinary decision-making meeting of high civil and military officials and leaders to take necessary steps to engage in a consequential crackdown.
The other major development was the filing of a reference against Mian Nawaz Sharif with the Election Commission by the PPP seeking his disqualification on the charges of proven acts of money laundering and fiscal immorality. This reference followed a similar reference filed earlier by the other big opposition party the PTI.
The EC officials however have made it clear that judgment on these references will be made by the EC only after the vacancies created by the retirement of its members are filled.
Meaning thereby that the task of the N-league government will be to delay the appointment of the required members (to complete the Election Commission) as far as possible.
Pakistan is truly hanging between the dead yesterday and the unborn tomorrow.
