If the history of Pakistan is written honestly, the historians could not ignore the fact the whenever the country plunged into severe crisis, it was the Pakistan Peoples Party that came to its rescue and steered it out of the crisis. This happened four times and that too when the military dictators had caused irreparable loss to the country.
But strangely, every time, the anti-democratic forces became active against the people's government soon after its inception. The present PPP government has inherited a volatile situation this time, as the dictator had pushed the country towards the edge of disintegration.
He obtained legitimacy for his unconstitutional rule through the judiciary, allowed the land of Pakistan to be used for foreign forces, played dual game to secretly support the extremist forces on the one hand, and launched so-called operation against them on the other to appease his Masters, resulting in war-like situation in the country.
It was his era that the country started experiencing suicide blasts, which still continue killing thousands of innocent people, destruction of scores of schools, health facilities, mass-migration from restive areas of northern Pakistan and US drone attacks etc on country's land.
The PPP government is still grappled with this situation and trying to steer the country out of it, but unfortunately the elements that had played sinister role of destabilising the elected governments and inviting army in the past, are again active to dislodge the present government of PPP using the same tactics of seventies and nineties.
Surprisingly, the opposition leaders repeatedly issued statements of allowing the present PPP-led coalition government to complete its tenure, but made every effort on the contrary to weaken the government. They used judges' issue against it, but when it was resolved somehow, the issue of NRO was raised to hand over like a sword.
When the Supreme Court declared the NRO null and void, the opposition has started using it only against PPP despite the fact that the number of beneficiaries of NRO surpasses 8,000 but none of them is targeted except President Asif Ali Zardari and some of members of his team.
It looks as if the opposition has resolved all other issues, foiled conspiracies of disintegration of country, stopped the US drone attacks and the suicide bomb blasts have come to an end, and now the only task remains for them is to tumble down the present civilian government.
At this critical time, when the nation direly needs unity to face internal and external threats, the opposition is engaged in same politics of the past. this time Punjab is again ruled by Mian brothers, who have adopted the same behaviour of nineties - they never offered protocol to Ms Benazir Bhutto during Mian Nawaz Sharif's rule in Punjab and now no protocol was given to President Zardari's Punjab tour.
They have right to have differences with the government on its policies, but their behaviour towards Head of State was unwanted. The opposition is still busy exerting pressure on the PPP-led government using the SC verdict on NRO. It is up to government how it tackles the situation, however, a recent statement by a senior lawyer and author of 1973 Constitution Abdul Hafeez Pirzada needs to be kept on record it any thing happens in near future.
Talking to a private TV channel, Pirzada said: SC can seek help of army to implement its verdict on NRO. I cannot comment on his viewpoint, as only the experts on Constitution can opine if the Constitution allows the SC to seek army's help. However, in my humble opinion, it would again be inviting the army to intervene in the civilian matters, and that might lead the situation to another military rule.
The army already is engaged at different fronts combating the militants that have destroyed the country's economy and thus putting the masses under heavy burden of cost of this war going on currently in South Waziristan and eight other areas, as stated recently by Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Ather Abbas, reported by the media. I would request the politicians of country to avoid indulging army into politics and allow it to fight against militants. Please don't repeat past mistakes.