The political situation in the city as well as in the country is getting murkier and greatly polarized due to the government’s current relentless drive for accountability. With the net tightening around the former government’s stalwarts, it seems National Accountability Bureau (NAB) gathering politicians of a certain opposition party at its Thokar Niaz Baig headquarters.

The latest inclusions in the list of those facing NAB action are the former information and law ministers after the recent rounding-up of the former railway minster and his brother, another former member of parliament.

While most concur with the drive for accountability, there are issues with the modus operandi. The lionesque faction seems to be of the opinion that the drive is entirely directed at them and reeks of political victimisation. In response, the Khanites refer to the case of ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’. They have another point to bring to the table; it is not only the functionaries of the former government that are facing accountability. Apart from recent hefty fine on the PM’s sister for owning undeclared property overseas, a substantial fine has been imposed on the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister while an under-trial senior minister and close associate in Punjab along with the minster for overseas Pakistanis and numerous other present government members are under investigation.

From an entirely neutral perspective, one would have to say this becomes a dilemma of the recently much maligned ‘chicken and egg’ problem. What should come first, charges or custody? It would appear to be obvious that NAB should first frame charges and then convict. In a related plea, someone please place gag orders on the custodians of information on both the federal and provincial level. Let things come to their logical conclusion, through appropriate authorities – let it be.

How the public perceives the entire drama is unclear. The recent electoral victory of the PTI candidate after previous provincial wins by the PML-N in Lahore makes things inexplicable. Another theory which seems to be gathering ground, especially within PML-N supporters, is the despondency of the establishment about the new government, possibly opening pathways for an unexpected return of either both the brothers or one of them. A possibility underlined by the stoic silence of the lambs, not quite, perhaps of the lions, by their supporters.

Say what you may you; one has to concede that the chief justice remains a man in motion. There is some fire that burns within, driving him towards measures which appear to be mostly for public good.

Finally to some bits and pieces: We can all heave a sigh of relief as the Lahore Development Authority’s budget is finally approved. Hopefully, many lingering projects in the city will finally be completed soon.

The wedding season is in full swing and for Lahoris, it is bittersweet. While there is merriment at the celebrations, getting to these celebration becomes a nightmare. The traffic, especially near wedding halls, somehow always seem to be located in clusters, becomes entirely unnegotiable.

Winter finally beckons! this time around it has arrived very begrudgingly in the plains. While there is substantial snow and freezing temperatures in the north of the country and heavy fog in south Punjab, Lahore luckily basks in glorious sunshine. Bonfires and barbeques are on. A good thing too since there is little gas for routine cooking.— AM Lahori (AmLahori@gmail.com)

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018