Yes yes, we all know you were privy to the inside scoop all along. Your drawing room gossip has come alive and your theories that were often brushed away as conspiracies have been vindicated. The latest batch of Wikileaks cables has unsheathed the cover of secrecy from Pakistani leaders confessions.
US influence on policymakers in the country is no secret, but the extent of its involvement in managing the domestic affairs of Pakistan is certainly troubling. It seems the political and military leadership of the country must keep Washington in the loop with respect to their day to day affairs.
The Obama administration, ostensibly has sought to foster people-to-people relations. But the cables unravel a case of governing the governors of Pakistan according to Talat Hussain, a leading political analyst. He feels the trajectory of the US-Pakistan public discourse is going to be permanently altered, with mistrust gaining traction.
The revelations had been doing the rounds in television talk shows for many months now. But opinions could be countered with counter opinions. But now that the conspiracy theories have become documented, politicians may well be challenged for vocally taking positions that are contrary to their actions.
The Prime Ministers duality on the issue of drone attacks and the governments position on deployment of American soldiers, despite its repeated calls of maintaining Pakistans sovereignty, speak of the hypocrisy of the countrys leadership.
Even Fazl-ur-Rehman - the leader of a religious party that is deathly opposed to the US - stands accused of trying to cut deals with the former US envoy.
Most politicians already rank low in the public perception indices, but uptil now they have support in their constituencies. This latest blow is likely to hurt lawmakers credibility even in their electoral ridings.
Yet, to assume that this incident will bring about a sea change in the domestic scenario would be utopian. Much of the reaction will depend on whether those leaders who have emerged clean from the mess, read Imran Khan, are able to muster public support to create a social movement to uproot the current political leaders.
The Wikileaks bomb has certainly brought Pakistan one step closer to the change that its citizens hope for. With its leaders exposed, the onus now rests with the people to exercise their right to choose their leaders wisely.
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