ISLAMABAD: Good manners and civility seemed to be the major casualties as the ruling PML-N took the fight to the opposition. In fact, given the way the PPP and PML-N have opened a fresh front, it appears that the war of words was only going to get messier with time.

Sunday’s exchanges between government and opposition politicians left no doubt that the gloves had come off on both sides; the slurs were more personal and off-the-cuff remarks more unsavoury than ever.

Since news of the Panama Papers leaks broke early last month, PML-N ministers and lawmakers have stepped up their attacks on PTI chief Imran Khan and his beloved Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

Observers say the use of acerbic language by leaders from across the political spectrum reflected desperation on their part, as well as the increasing erosion of ideological politics in the country.

Criticising the way political discourse had degenerated into mudslinging, ANP Senator Zahid Khan said: “It seems everybody is just hungry for power and wants to achieve their goals, by hook or by crook.”

The former ANP spokesperson conceded he was particularly disturbed by the young PPP chairman’s speech. “The PPP has always been an ideologically-driven party. But the way Bilawal attacked the prime minister clearly suggests that he, too, is in a hurry to get into the corridors of power.”

He said that by engaging in personal attacks, political leaders were not indulging in ‘politics’, rather they were ‘spreading anarchy’.

People had already heard name-calling at the level of party heads when PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “the king of corruption” at a public meeting in Azad Kashmir a day earlier.

But on Sunday, it was PML-N ministers who hit back, not holding back any comment, no matter how below the belt. In fact, when asked about Mr. Bilawal’s remarks, Pervaiz Rashid instead recalled how Sheikh Rashid — who Mr Bilawal claims to be a fan of — had ridiculed Benazir Bhutto, implying that he wouldn’t like to respond to someone who couldn’t stand up for his own mother.

For political analyst Dr Rasool Bakhsh Rais, the government’s aggressive posturing made perfect sense. “With the children of the prime minister having accepted ownership of offshore companies, PML-N ministers and legislators find no plausible defence against the opposition parties’ criticism. Instead, they have resorted to bad-mouthing their opponents.”

“Whether you like it or not, it is almost impossible for the prime minister to establish the legality of the money trail that led to the setting-up of his children’s offshore companies. Therefore, the government will deliberately try to create a situation where the real issue is sidelined,” Dr Rais said.

“Questioning the personal life of Imran Khan is probably the only way government ministers believe they can challenge his moral character,” he added.

In background discussions with Dawn, a senior ruling party office-bearer admitted that with the PTI and PPP closing ranks over the demand for the PM’s resignation, “we cannot just take it like that and will have to respond in the same coin”.

He agreed with the impression that the controversy over Panamagate was only going to get more complicated in the coming weeks. “We have decided at the party level that a good offense is the best defence; that’s what politics in the country is all about.”

The PTI, on Sunday, issued a rejoinder to the aggressive Pervaiz Rashid and Saad Rafique presser held in Lahore, saying, “By hurling cheep accusations, government ministers cannot protect the Sharif brothers from accountability.”

But it is not just the government that has upped the ante. Over the past few days, the PTI has also started to target Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister’s daughter, for spearheading a smear campaign against Imran Khan and other senior PTI leaders.

“We have been forced to target Maryam because there is clear evidence now that she is the brain behind the scathing attacks on our party leaders,” a senior PTI leader said when asked why she was being singled out.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2016