During my close association with various governments, including those of PML(N), PPP, martial law regimes, and PTI, I observed a troubling pattern among ruling parties. These parties tend to treat the opposition as adversaries, countering every move, rhetoric, and narrative put forth by opposition parties.
This approach is highly counterproductive for the government, as it escalates tension, increases political temperature, creates uncertainty, and heightens anxiety and worries among the populace.
Such a scenario ultimately undermines the government while benefiting the opposition. Governments conveniently forget that engaging constructively with the opposition tends to result in more stable and productive governance, while adversarial approaches often lead to political gridlock and inefficiency.
Presently, the power chessboard laid out in the country reflects an interesting positioning. The government, the establishment, the parliament, and the Election Commission are aligned. They also have on their side co-opted traditional media and gagged social media, whereas PTI, the people, and the judiciary seem to be on the other side of the table.
This layout suggests that the government has at its disposal the weapons of the state’s brute power, which it is using to intimidate, harass, and control opposition leaders, their activists, and their most trusted mouthpiece, social media. It is armed with legislative tools, which it is using aggressively.
For example, it is delaying and sabotaging the constitution of election tribunals and making amendments to the Election Act 2023 to frustrate the majority judgment of the Supreme Court. Additionally, the Election Commission turned PTI’s victory based on form 45 into a defeat using form 47.
In this scenario, though the opposition does not have a kinetically equipped institution, it is still proving to be an equal match to the government. Despite its hands being tied, its leadership incarcerated, and state power fully unleashed to obliterate the party, the opposition remains resilient.
Qamar Bashir
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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