I would like to share a story at the outset: “A little boy got angry with his mother and shouted at her, ‘I hate you, I hate you’.” Because of fear of reprimand, he ran out of the house. He went up to the valley and shouted, “I hate you, I hate you,” and back came the echo, “I hate you, I hate you.” This was the first time in his life he had heard an echo. He got scared, went to his mother for protection and said there was a bad boy in the valley who shouted “I hate you, I hate you.” The mother understood and she asked her son to go back and shout, “I love you, I love you.” The little boy went and shouted, “I love you, I love you,” and back came the echo. That little incident taught the little boy a lesson for lifetime that our life is like an echo: “we get back what we give.” Worth reading, isn’t it? Our two arch political rivals are busy doing blistering criticism of each other. They do not see anything good of the opposite party. In a democratic political system, they have to respect each other.

But it seems they have none of these. The filthy words they utter against each other even standing in the parliamentary sessions are totally beyond imagination. The mass population cannot even think that the MPs of the country can use those words in parliament. It is politicians who brought 1/11 to the country because we, the apolitical people, did not fight with each other on the road to bring 1/11. They should have learnt a good lesson from it but the irony is that they learnt nothing from it and keep continuing unnecessary fighting with each other, which is perhaps paving the way to bring another 1/11 to the country, who knows. We really do not understand one thing. The two major political parties have got no competitors other than themselves in the field of politics in our country. They may come to power alternatively and carry on the development works. While one party is in power, the other will be in opposition and constructively criticise the ruling party to help overcome their weakness or any wrong doings. Simultaneously they will cooperate with the government to go ahead and keep pace with the global world. Both the ruling and opposition parties will perform their respective responsibilities so that there is accountability in their politics, and they will do that with due respect to each other. At the end of one’s tenure, the ruling party will heartily thank the countrymen for electing them to power and will also thank the opposition for their positive criticism and constant cooperation to help create a better economic status of the country. Having thanked the countrymen, they will invite them to choose the next government by casting their votes. Whoever is elected will be welcomed by the defeated party, and again they both will march together to strengthen the footings of our beloved country. How does it sound? Simply awesome, right? But our political parties do not do it and we are afraid because we do not see any signs in near future that they will do so. Why do not they do so? The answer is pretty simple, they think as an opposition party if they praise the good jobs of the government, they will never be able to come to power. People will think that the government is running the country very well since the opposition is praising them. So, they will keep voting the power party again and again. If they only knew, things work totally the other way round. To be honoured, you have to show honour first. In the same token, to have a friend, be a friend first. But why do not they do so? They are perhaps scared of a third political alliance or they just do not like it but it is again they who are creating the opportunity for a third political platform because countrymen are really frustrated and tired of seeing the two parties blaming each other.

The writer is a communication trainer and a regular contributor to daily sun.