DAWN Editorials 21st August 2026

Political rumblings

SOME game is afoot. What precisely it is, is difficult to say. Islamabad hums with rumours, half-truths and speculation. Meanwhile, a Supreme Court order to shift the ailing former prime minister Imran Khan from prison to hospital has further unsettled the political sphere.

Suddenly, every move is being dissected. PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has chosen this opportunity to make good on his “tick tock, tick tock” threat to the PML-N, delivered earlier this month amidst a thorny general election in Azad Kashmir. His anger over poll irregularities appears to have brought him closer to the opposition benches.

A senior delegation of PPP leaders, including Mr Bhutto-Zardari himself, met the opposition leader in the National Assembly this Tuesday, ostensibly to seek ‘cooperation’ during parliamentary proceedings. The fruits of that meeting were evident in the NA session held the same day, when the PPP managed to compel the government to virtually suspend its legislative agenda.

A follow-up meeting between the PPP and opposition leaders on Wednesday was described as “a good start”, with the politicians agreeing to maintain contact and cooperate on legislative matters in parliament. A common agenda item was also agreed to, namely, reforms to the electoral process. Mr Bhutto-Zardari also chose the opportunity to ‘welcome’ the Supreme Court decision to move Mr Khan to hospital, describing it as “within the democratic tradition”.

The confrontation continued on Thursday, with the PPP chief excoriating the government for not taking ruling allies on board while legislating after the defence minister presented two ‘surprise’ bills for approval. PPP leaders say the party is annoyed over what it sees as rampant rigging in the AJK polls, the PML-N’s refusal to honour various agreements with its coalition partner, the issue of new provinces, and fresh legislation the N-League wishes to table. The PPP appears intent on thwarting legislative business until its grievances are addressed.

Whether a new legislative surprise — of the constitutional variety — is ready to be sprung upon the nation, it is difficult to say. For that same reason, it is difficult to fathom whether the political factions are realigning to protect their shared interests, or merely to give the ruling PML-N a much-needed reminder of the ephemerality of political power. Whatever the case, it is encouraging to see legislators assert themselves after a period in which parliament appeared to be running on autopilot.

Coalition politics necessarily involves bargaining and disagreement; what matters is whether such manoeuvring produces more accountable parliamentary government, rather than simply redistributing political leverage. If the current rumblings can compel public representatives to engage more seriously with the business of legislation and the concerns of their constituents, and force open debate on matters of national import, they may yet prove a good omen for parliamentary politics.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2026

Flood foretold

RAWALPINDI’S latest flooding should put paid to the fiction that urban inundation is an unavoidable consequence of the monsoon. On Wednesday, the twin cities received their heaviest rainfall of the season, with 147mm recorded at Kutchery and 127mm at Shamsabad. Leh Nullah rose to 6.7m at New Kattarian, warning sirens were sounded, and water entered homes, shops and markets across low-lying neighbourhoods. Yet the nullah itself did not overflow. Smaller drains and sewerage channels failed under the pressure: roads became streams, vehicles were submerged and residents were left bailing water from their homes. Days earlier, rainwater had entered the basement of Holy Family Hospital where the gynaecology and paediatrics departments are located. All this cannot be chalked up to exceptional rain. This is a story of a city repeatedly exposed by inadequate drainage, encroachments, poor waste management and development that pays little attention to the natural movement of water. The disruption also carries an economic cost, damaging vehicles and property, closing businesses and hitting daily-wage workers hardest.

The warnings were there well before this week’s downpour. In April, Wasa said a survey of Leh Nullah had identified 19 vulnerable points, while preparations were under way to clean the nullah and 11 major drains before the monsoon. The danger, therefore, was not unforeseeable. Climate change is making intense bursts of rain more likely, but it cannot become an alibi for civic failure. Rawalpindi sits downstream of a catchment extending into Islamabad; when heavy rain falls on increasingly built-up land, enormous volumes of run-off descend rapidly towards the city. That reality demands more than pumps, sirens and rescue teams once the water begins to rise. Drains must be kept clear throughout the year, encroachments removed, sewerage capacity expanded and new construction subjected to flood-risk scrutiny. Islamabad and Rawalpindi must plan the Leh basin as one hydrological system. Pakistan’s cities cannot stop the rain, but they can stop turning every cloudburst into a disaster. What Pindi needs is sustained urban governance, not another annual ritual of dredging, warnings and emergency response. Officials should also be answerable when known choke points remain neglected, drains are allowed to clog, or construction proceeds without regard for flood pathways and adequate urban drainage capacity.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2026

Victims of terrorism

OVER the past quarter century, Pakistan has paid a staggering toll in lives lost to terrorism. Therefore, today, as the world observes the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the state must pledge to root out the scourge of violent extremism, and continue to care for the families of the victims. From 2001, when America’s so-called war on terror began, till 2022, terrorism in Pakistan claimed at least 83,000 lives. From 2022 till the present, several thousand lives have been added to this grim tally, due to the ongoing terrorist activities in the country, which picked up pace after the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. Cumulatively, over the course of these 25 years, terrorists have struck mosques and churches, bazaars and processions, schools and madressahs. It took several military operations to quell the post-2001 wave of terrorism, especially as terrorist attacks increased in frequency from 2007 onwards. Today, we find ourselves back to square one, as a new generation of terrorists wreaks havoc across the land.

Much has been written about counterterrorism strategies; but keeping with the theme of the day — ‘Healing through Memory’ — we must never forget those who were martyred or injured in acts of terrorism. One way of doing so would be for the state to ensure that the next of kin of victims of terrorism, whether security personnel or civilians, are looked after financially. The state does announce Shuhada packages, and it should be ensured that assistance is offered in a transparent and dignified manner. Victims who are injured, or left permanently disabled and thus unable to work, need to be looked after. Apart from the financial aspect, victims of terrorism and their families need to be offered professional psychological support to expedite mental recovery. Above all else, to honour the memory of victims, the state must vow to permanently uproot the menace of terrorism from Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2026