Ostensibly the first demand of both Qadri and Imran Khan is the resignation of Nawaz Sharif. But this is the contingent and not the central demand, which is a vote audit of the last polls. It is because neither of these two trusts a word of Nawaz Sharif, and believes that his promises are liable to be driven by bad faith, that they want him to resign before such audit commences. They believe that it is not possible that Sharif will not tamper with the audit as long as he has the power and the influence and thus follow their calls for his resignation prior to this process.

What is absolutely incredible are the views expressed by all parties sitting in the joint session of parliament i.e. all of them seem to affirm that the 2013 polls were indeed rigged, and that this rigging was significant? Thus there is a convergence of view between those sitting in parliament, and those sitting outside to protest against it on this very important issue.

One would therefore have thought that those who are so vociferously supporting the "system" would also have supported the demand for a recount, but miraculously they make no such demand. They are the victims of theft, and acknowledge their deprivation, but are dead set against raising their voice to ask for the restitution of that which they have been unfairly, nay criminally, deprived. They have made their loyalty to the constitution, and their love for democracy more than abundantly clear, yet they are not willing to strike a blow against the one act, the commission of which immediately vitiates this democracy, and needs being put right for it to have any credibility or legitimacy.

Having acknowledged the fact of systemic rigging, but not demanding that this wrong be redressed, they are legitimizing an illegality which is fundamentally inimical to the cause of democracy.

Does it not amaze you that these people, who will plunder anything in sight, but will not ask for the restitution of something which, by their own admission, has been stolen from them?

Why would they do this except for the fact that they fear a vote audit, because this may spill the beans and have the whole process declared spurious, and thus lead to new elections, the result of which may well deprive them of both their ill-gotten riches, and the immunity from law, which gives them the guarantee to enjoy this wealth undisturbed?

But for this motivation, their stance on the issue of the rigged elections is totally incomprehensible, and divests of sanctity both "democracy" and the "constitution" which they are using as a shield to hide behind. And one does not have to be a constitutional or legal expert to come to the conclusion that any constitution which lends itself to giving protection to crooks must be a vitiated document that has been repeatedly tampered with in the right places to give protection to thieves at the cost of the common man and the state.

Any document sought to be invested with "sanctity" by a Nawaz Sharif and a Zardari, with a supporting cast known best for its total commitment to venality must at the very least be treated with suspicion.

If the thieves are bundled out, Pakistan may live to fight another day. If not, there will be much bloodshed down the road. The thieves will be thrown out even then, but one cannot say with much confidence that Pakistan will be able to survive the cost. (Saeed)

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