The differences between the KPK government coalition partners took a serious turn on Thursday when PTI Chairman Imran Khan reacted angrily to Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Sirajul Haq's reported remarks made a day earlier at a public rally in Mansehra that the PML-N and PTI are "two sides of the same coin." Telling the JI chief to "stop playing on both sides of the wicket," Imran expressed disappointment that Siraj had chosen to put the PTI in the same category as the PML-N and the PPP ignoring a number of NAB cases against the two parties' leaders. He took several jibes at him including that "the JI chief's failure to recognise the injustice of the May 2013 elections, despite a national political consensus on the fact that rigging had taken place, raised serious questions on the commitment of the JI to implementation of Islamic principles of justice". The reaction seemed to have taken the JI by surprise. The party immediately issued a statement denying the reports "carried by a section of the media quoting JI chief Sirajul Haq that PTI and PML-N are two sides of the same coin."
Whether or not Siraj was misquoted, the fact remains that the two parties do not see eye to eye with one another on several issues. The JI has been trying to differentiate itself from its senior coalition partner on ideological grounds. It raised objections to the new school curriculum introduced by the provincial government, succeeding in some instances and failing in others. A few days ago, the party Secretary General, Liaqat Baloch, criticised the PTI for "the political culture it is promoting" adding that "change cannot be brought through music and dance; it is just promoting lewdness among youngsters." Unfortunately, Nawaz League and JUI-F leaders too have been singling out women to make offensive remarks about people swaying to inspirational music played at the sit-in, annoying PTI supporters and making many impartial observers shake their heads in disgust. The PTI and JUI-F members came close to a fist fight in the provincial assembly on Wednesday when a JUI-F MPA used bad language against the sit-in's female participants. Also, a resolution moved by an ANP legislator from Malala's home district Swat, to eulogise her struggle for girls right to education that won her the Nobel Peace Prize, has remained ignored because PTI does not want to upset the JI which along with JUI-F is strongly opposed to it. The assembly though did not take long to pass another resolution, tabled by a JI member, demanding that the government press the US for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
The JI and JUI-F are natural partners. They have been together in a previous ruling alliance in the province under the banner of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). However, as the JI's hurried explanation shows, it is not considering the option of leaving the KPK government. The JUI leader, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, would still be eager to join hands with the PML-N and some other smaller parties to oust the PTI and form a new coalition government. But the Nawaz League is unlikely to play along. Besides, with its growing popularity the PTI would still be able to attract many, if not all, of the 11 independent members in case JI's eight MPAs switch sides.
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