First watching the live blogs on Metafilter on the US ‘skinny repeal’ healthcare bill, with John McCain’s surprise ‘no’ vote killing it. Then, immediately, turning closer to home, to where the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave its verdict on Nawaz Sharif. Sharif is gone. I have mixed feelings about all of this. On one hand yes there was corruption and the way he ran the country was of a particular Inner City style. It’s good that the prime minister is accountable and that his attempt to form an dynasty, complete with his own Ivanka, has had a setback.
But iss hamaam mein sab nangay hain. The systemic corruption will not end. The opposition parties are as tainted if (presently) on a smaller scale. Society at large is tainted.
And the means by which the PM has been disqualified for life is a clause added by his holiness Zia, which specifies that a member of parliament must be sadiq and ameen. I think this is the first time the Supreme Court has interpreted what this means and it may dangerously expand the opening for vague understandings of morality in politics. And finally, who can say what is happening in the shadows.
There is widespread celebration, and I am certainly glad the Supreme Court is independent of government influence, but I must, reluctantly be concerned. Not so much that this will lead to disaster, because Pakistan never quite falls through that event horizon; we just circle it in perpetuity, where even as everything changes and we celebrate, nothing really does.
Meanwhile the country seems to be without a prime minister. No one appears to know for sure.