Follow the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa example

THE FRONTIER POST

It is not for nothing that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was the first to announce its caretaker chief minister after Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti and Leader of Opposition Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister himself, met a few times. They chose the former chief justice of Peshawar High Court, Tariq Pervaz Khan, a man with extremely good reputation as an upright man. One hopes his short stint as the caretaker CM will be as unblemished as was his career as a judge. There is a reason for this timely resolution to the issue of caretaker chief minister: Because from their everyday life, the people of this province know that if talks fail, violence, which can escalate to killing each other, is not far behind. This experience, in their tribal and family lives, has made even the common people and politicians wary of situations going out of hand. That is not to say that everybody here is as mindful of solving solution amicably. Exceptions are aplenty. Some newly rich and some first timers in the assemblies did lose their tempers too soon. They don't express themselves while respectful of others.. But such men and women are generally not appreciated either by the ordinary people or political leaders. Men and women who can keep their cool even in the most infuriating situations are considered as the individuals who can solve knotty issues. Nevertheless, Hoti grew up in a family with political giants in his family. Durrani was tutored in politics by no less a crafty politician than Maulana Fazlur Rehman himself. Both individuals should be congratulated for being the first timely picking caretaker CM for their province and lessening the confusion in the politics of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Both the leaders were able to resolve the issue because they refused to be bogged down by small details and one hopes that both sincerely wanted to have fair elections in the province. In the other three provinces and the centre, politicians have not been so quick. They continue to squabble over minute details and want to be seen as important players in the choice of the caretakers. This delay in the three province and the centre in choosing the caretakers CMs and the prime ministers puts a damper on the elections process and people fear that the disagreement between politicians may lead to a much graver situation. Many even hear the thud of army boots in Islamabad. Some are just disgusted with the delay. At the most the delay in nomination of the caretakers may give the current prime minister and the chief minister five to seven days and for that these politicians are seeking excuses to further agreement on the issue and leaving the people in suspense. It is shameful that some of our so famous politicians will stoop so low to stick to their high offices and for such a little time. No wander the people are getting fed up with politics and politicians. The culture of being glued to high positions when one's time is up or is no more fit or deserving is sickness that has invaded all spheres of our social life. From players, to bureaucrats to general, to politicians most of us want to overstay our welcome. One hopes the example set by the politicians of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be followed by politicians in the center and other provinces.