Pakistan: Sharif’s resignation is not acceptable to Zardari -DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL _______________________

The illusory air of change is looming all over Pakistan but no one is sure about anything. Some might see an Arab spring in the ongoing agitations in Islamabad led by Imran Khan for a regime change which does not look possible now.

In fact when the Arab Spring unleashed in many Muslim nations, it did not enter Pakistan. Even when Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal upturned Indian politics by their anti-corruption movement leading to regime change in India, Pakistan remained untouched. Now people are on the streets agitating for a regime change.

Pakistan has been endowed with tremendous resources and capabilities but it continues to bleed and that too because of rampant corruption,

manipulation and ignorance.   The most impacted victims to the disease

of change are the people from the lower strata. Their sufferings are not going to be addressed or mitigated even if the present regime is replaced by a new because they all exist to promote the rich. The regime itself is keen to promote the US/NATO interests.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  led by former cricketer Imran Khan is spearheading  agitations country wide in Pakistan  demanding a virtual regime change but the Muslim League  government led by Nawaz Sharif has rejected the demand as illegal. As the third round of talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ultimately ending in a stalemate onAugust 23, despite showing the most progress, supporters of PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) continued their sit-in at D-Chowk in front of Parliament House.

The PTI proposed that the prime minister resign for a period of 30 days during which a judicial commission works ‘independently’ to determine if the May 2013 elections were transparent. This demand though was rejected by the government, who said they had accepted almost all the other demands of the PTI. The party has announced it will recommence its sit-in on Sunday evening with screens and mini-protests in other cities as well.

Separately, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif¸ with a view to seeking a way out of the impasse has held talks with former president Asif Ali Zardari in Raiwind who has indirectly supported Sharif. .

The former president Asif Ali Zardari made a rare appearance before the media following his day-long trip to Lahore, where he met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with other PML-N members as well as leaders of various other parties, including the PML-Q and JI.

Taking a page from PTI chief Imran Khan’s metaphors, Zardari said that there is “no third umpire,” adding that if there was one, the matter would have escalated. “We are all working together,” he said, while stressing on the need for dialogue. “Democracy means never shutting the door.”

Asif Ali Zardari was noticeably in a good mood while responding to questions posed by media persons, during which he said, “Conspiracies are part and parcel of politics.” Maintaining a diplomatic stance, Zardari said, “We welcome the PTI government, it is their first time on the national front.”He also said that the PPP acknowledges the PTI’s right to hold on to their position when he was asked about the party’s decision to resign from the National Assembly. “One democratic government should not challenge another democratic government, especially through street power,” the PPP chief said, adding, “Under no circumstances should democracy be challenged or derailed.”

Zardari also advised the government to deal with everything in a peaceful manner, and proudly said that the PPP had “completed five years making peace.” “I am for Pakistan, I am not for anybody else. I have given this Parliament power,” he said. The former president also added, “At this moment, we need to focus on standing with our armed forces who are engaged in an “operation.”, alongside the occupations forces of USA.

The question is not  whether or not Sharif would step down, at least temporarily but if all this will change the future of Pakistan and bring solace to the poor Pakistani masses.