Time is slipping out of the hands of our rulers and is causing embarrassment as well as revealing how unmethodical the Muslim League-N is. The ruling party, already in conundrums has miserably failed to handle PTI and PAT marches. Its ubiquitous influence on electronic and print media, to negatively propagate Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul-Qadri, is not only deplorable but also against the norms of democracy. It is unbecoming for the rulers, who pose to be flag bearers  and the saviours of democracy, to act so undemocratically. Unfortunately, now that the Additional Secretary Election Commission has opened Pandora’s box, not much is left to discuss.
It is beyond logic that the mediators have acknowledged and endorse the demands set by PTI and PAT but have rejected the first clause: their resignation! To add fuel to fire, the ‘Joint Investigation Team’ report on the Model Town incident also goes against the government. Things are going from bad to worse, whereas the government is embarking upon politics of confrontation, by ridiculing PAT and PTI leaders, taking out processions and rallies in different parts of the country, and not softening up on dialogues.
There is no panacea for these political ills, especially in third world countries where democracy does not have deep roots. Tolerance, perseverance, effective and fruitful dialogue, is the only way we can come out of this deadlock. More flexibility is required from all stakeholders; alternatively, the democracy of our country will become a mockery for the rest of the world and this era will either be lauded or laughed at depending on how things end.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA,
Islamabad, August 25.