News
Friday, March 18, 2011
PPP, PML-N avoid mudslinging on issue of Davis’ release* Member of both parties excercising avoiding triggering any blame game
By Muhammad Akram
LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the ruling parties in the Center and in Punjab province, respectively, are pursuing an un-stated policy of not mentioning each other’s names in the debate over the release of US national Raymond Davis by a court of law.
Sources in both the parties confided to Daily Times on Thursday that although they had no direct instruction from the party’s high command, still they were excercising self- restraint and avoiding triggering any blame game.
Sources elaborated that this was despite the fact that leaders of both the parties were being provoked by media through instigating comments.
PPP, said a party source, avoided taking any position on the release of Davis, a CIA operative, accused in a double murder case, on the day he was acquitted by a court in Lahore under qisas and diyat law.
“PPP continues to cling to its earlier position that only the court will decide the fate of Davis on the question of diplomatic immunity under the prevalent law,” the source said, adding, “PPP will continue to stick to the policy and like the debate to wind up sooner rather than later.”
The source said that party’s leadership was appreciative of PML-N, whose second cadre leadership, in the absence of top leadership, avoided dragging PPP into the controversy unnecessarily.
PML-N, on the other hand, though was made to bear most of the brunt on the issue yet it remained aware of the fact that creating trouble for the federal government would result in more trouble for the Punjab government.
The party instead passed the buck on to the judiciary and termed its judgment on the possession of illegal arms by the US national lenient.
A source at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat told this scribe that the Punjab government would allow the protesters to vent their anger, yet it would deal with them strictly if they prolonged their protests unnecessarily.
The source said the Punjab government had set Friday as a deadline and decided not to tolerate any protests beyond Friday. “After Friday, it will like the matter to be resolved politically rather than on the streets,” he added.
Political observers view the release of Davis and his quick departure from Pakistan a consequence of collective wisdom of all state actors, including PPP and PML-N.
They are of the view that although many a question pertaining to Davis saga will remain unanswered yet the way the matter has been settled, despite some early troubles, shows political maturity on the part of both the parties.
The observer was of the view that the role of powerful Pakistani establishment in Davis saga would remain a question mark forever. “It will only be revealed to the world in a second release of WikiLeaks that continue to haunt intelligence agencies of the world.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk