The killings in the scuffle between the striking PIA employees and the law and order enforcing agencies were bound to evoke the ire of the opposition political parties. It is an art to deal with the mob and experience of hindsight tells us that very few policemen and duty magistrates are well versed in it. Resort to firing on the mob is normally avoided and the policemen are not supposed to open fire without the written orders of the duty magistrate. The history of similar nature public disturbance in the country in the past reveals that if the blood of the strikers is spilled owing to their inept handling by the police, the resultant crisis, more often than not, snowballs. Mark my words, it also contains the potentialities of even bringing the sitting governments down. The PPP is bound to exploit the crisis in the PIA and the government is going to face a tough time in the days to come both on the streets and in parliament. The PTI has already declared agitation from today. The prime minister instead of leaving the situation to his party leaders to handle, had better, himself intervene for defusing the situation. The government could have handled the PIA situation in a better way by doing some proper home work before making a decision to privatise it. Let us admit there is a lack of political acumen and sagacity in the persons chosen by the prime minister as his advisors.
The investigation into allegations against Dr Asim Hussain has taken extraordinary long time in its finalisation and the delay in putting challan against him in the court of law and formally charging him is raising the eyebrows of many. If something concrete has been found against him the government had better ensure that his trial starts as early as possible. Let the courts decide cases against him without any further delay. Signs of lethargy are also visible in the Rangers’ operation in Sind. Let us hope that it does not suffer at the hands of any political expediency.