It’s not particularly difficult to find contradictions and outright misstatements in the work of Shireen Mazari, but yesterday’s editorial in The Nation proves particularly insightful into Mazari’s special kind of luncay.

The editorial in question takes on an important topic – the need for a vibrant opposition in democratic politics. But the editorial is so filled with logical fallacy and misunderstandings of democratic process that it cannot go without comment.

First, the editorial notes quite correctly that:

The country is reeling under the growing terrorism that has come to occupy centre stage and created uncertainty and fear in every household as schools have had to be closed; and the next generation of the country has had to grow up prematurely.

But Mazari’s solution is not to take the fight to these dastardly terrorist child-killers, instead she blames the government for carrying out debates about legislation that Mazari does not favor! It’s as if Mazari believes that the Parliament is her own personal kingdom.

The editorial goes on to claim, quite outrageoudly, that PML-N is providing too little opposition to the PPP government. This claim is ridiculous in on its face, but especially in light of the recent exposure of secret meetings with the military in which Shahbaz Sharif attempted to destabilize the elected government:

Sources told The News that President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and even Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar were caught off guard when the media reported the details of the secret meeting between the top leaders of PML-N with General Kayani. The sources even claimed that these frequent secret meetings between the top leaders of PML-N and the Chief of Army Staff as confirmed by Ch Nisar Ali Khan in his speech in the lower house the other day, might well have given the required confidence to the top guns of the GHQ to send the tersely worded press note to the media after the corps commanders meeting.

…

The immediate result of this secret meeting with General Kayani was that the very next day, to the much surprise of the PPP rulers at Islamabad, Shahbaz Sharif launched lethal attack against the Kerry-Lugar Bill.

Mazari has conveniently ignored the fact that the problem is not a lack of opposition in Islamabad – an absolutely absurd claim – but that the opposition is putting its short-term interest of power above the good of the country and risking a destabilizing nightmare.

The editorial is correct when it says that ,”Within a Parliamentary system, it is equally incumbent upon the elected opposition to raise an alternate voice within the Parliament, including casting negative votes on issues which it opposes as being counter to the country’s interests.” But Mazari seems not to understand that properly functioning democracies do not play black-bag games and plan secret meetings in attempts to destablizine democratically elected governments. Rather, the opposition should be raising questions and debating legislation – exactly what has been happening in the Parliament.

The way she discusses democracy, one would expect a game of chess against Mazari would end with her throwing all the pieces off the board, waving her arms in the air, and screaming checkmate. She neither understands the proper way to play, nor has the grace to play with class.

The ultimate aim of a democratic government is to protect the rights and freedoms, the future and prosperity of the people. It is not a game to be manipulated for the career of one individual. A proper opposition is essential to a prosperous democracy. Let’s hope Mazari someday learns what that really means.