EDITORIAL: Coming from the PPP, a major ally of the ruling PML-N, it is a startling suggestion. The party secretary general Nayyar Bokhari said on Sunday that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif should advise (the President) for the dissolution of the National Assembly and call fresh elections “if the government is under threat” – a reference to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s talk of a potential constitutional meltdown come September or December.
It being one of the three demands he has put forth for talks with the powers that be, would be music to the ears of PTI’s incarcerated leader Imran Khan. In his rambling, and at times self-contradictory statement, Bokhari furthermore disclosed that President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also PPP co-Chairman, is willing to mediate between the government and PTI if they are ready for a dialogue.
Yet, he added, talks could be held with “someone you trust” which Khan is not. He criticised the government performance, too, pointing to countrywide protests over the high electricity bills. Nevertheless, he asserted, his party is ready to strengthen the government, “provided it delivers”.
The PPP is playing an interesting game. As part of an agreement reached with the PML-N following February 8 the general elections, it occupies all the principal constitutional offices from president down to provincial governors in return for its support from the ‘outside’. While it remains on the sidelines the PML-N governments at the Centre and in Punjab face public anger for the insufferable cost of living, as well as certain other policies and actions.
The bone of contention now is the situation Punjab where daughter of League supreme leader Nawaz Sharif governs with a tight fist, making PPP legislators restive for their inability to exercise usual influence over local administrations and the police in their respective constituencies.
Around mid-June, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held a meeting with PM Shahbaz Sharif to seek “more space” for his party lawmakers as well as additional development budget for them. It was decided at the meeting that further consultations would be continued through the parliamentary committees.
The latest development shows there is no progress on that particular issue. This comes as no surprise. Considering the forms 45 and 47 controversy, the League has a lot to worry about its future prospects in its old support base of Punjab. It is unlikely to cede ‘more space’ to PPP legislators.
But the two key coalition partners are not going to part ways unless and until there is an unforeseen push for change. Both parties need one another to make the most while the present setup lasts. They will stick together as long as the circumstances allow.
Notably, Bokhari had taken a shot at the Election Commission of Pakistan, too, accusing it of incompetence for how it held the general elections. Despite having serious reservations, he said, his party had accepted the results to ensure democratic continuity. It will continue to do so in the name of ‘democratic continuity’ no matter how weak or flawed that may be in public perception.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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