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Islamabad: People in Islamabad talk nothing but politics and the buzz word is "who will be the next president"?
"I don't understand why they are fighting over the restoration of deposed judges while people are already frustrated due to sky rocketing prices of commodities and fear of bomb blasts," taxi driver Sher Khan burst out in anger when I asked him about the situation back home.
While driving towards Islamabad from Benazir Bhutto Airport in Rawalpindi [the garrison city near the federal capital], Khan started cursing the political leadership.
"They don't care for common man. They are just watching their personal interests. It does not make any difference for us... whoever in the power house is, all we want is peace and stability in the country and of course means to earn a living," he said.
He requested me to get him a job in Dubai when he came to know that I had come from Dubai. "I don't know whether I will survive the day," he said while pointing to police pickets dotting the otherwise peaceful capital city of Pakistan. There is heavy police presence everywhere in the city, especially around the parliament for fear of "militant attacks".
Fast-changing scenario
The political scene is fast changing after Nawaz Shairf took his Pakistan Muslim League-N out of the ruling coalition on Monday. Once again, a new chapter of bitter acrimony and tussles has opened in Pakistani politics with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PML-N leadership busy wheeling and dealing to muster support from parliamentarians for the presidential elections.
On one hand, the PML-N leaders are holding secret meetings with the rival faction of the PML-Q led by Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain seeking support for their presidential candidate. On the other hand, the PPP leadership is busy keeping its coalition partners - the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) - and the Mutahidda Quami Movement that has announced its support for Zardari together.
The crisis over the judiciary continues on the sidelines of the political developments. Supreme Court Bar Association Chairman Aitzaz Ahsan, who is a diehard PPP member, has once again called for protest demonstrations all over the country.
The thrust of the lawyers' movement will be in Punjab, which is ruled by the PML-N as they expect all-out support from the provincial administration.
It is yet to be seen how the PPP government will handle the lawyers' demonstrations that could turn violent. The political crisis will further deepen if the PML-N government gives open support to lawyers as it may force the PPP leadership to take drastic measures including dissolution of he PML-N government.
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