PM's grand rally pronouncements

Our expectations were high when the PM rose to address the mammoth public gathering at Paltan Maidan that she would indeed provide the nation with a comprehensive programme for effectively dealing with ideological extremism that casts a shadow on the immediate future of the country. Far from anything substantive coming from her on the issue, we heard more of the same old diatribe against the opposition, perhaps in a more virulent form. More to the point, and unfortunately at that, her address sidetracked the single most important need of the moment, that for national reconciliation and unity without which terrorism cannot be effectively faced up to.

The entire nation including the media, on several occasions, has repeatedly supported PM's call for an all-party dialogue, especially inclusive of the main opposition. It also tried to prevail upon the opposition the need to take the dialogue offer. Admittedly, the opposition has acted irresponsibly by turning down the call for a dialogue, but this speech, if anything, has not advanced the cause in any way. On the contrary, we feel that deliberations like these merely help in further damaging whatever prospect may have existed for a dialogue and consensus building.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

On the whole, the speech appeared to be rather unduly provocative, reflective of a rather narrow perspective and aimed at sending stern signals to the opposition. We fail to understand that when some arrested extremists admitted to a plot for replacing the constitution of the country by an obscurantist version and a handful of their ilk openly talk of desecrating our national flag and threatened to banish our national anthem, their acts are not regarded as seditious but some 'provocative' remarks of the leader of the opposition so much as evoke a prime ministerial reaction to the effect that if the former didn't stop saying those things, sedition charges might be pressed against her.

Time is fast running out. We hope good sense will prevail all around. Unity and not division is the call of the time.