Strange sort of uncertainty and lull prevails on the political front even after more than two weeks of the general elections. As a matter of fact, quite fluid situation prevails all over despite hectic politicking taking place here and there.
As a result of the polls, quite expectedly a hung parliament had emerged with PPP Parliamentarians emerging as the single largest party, but still missing the magical number to form the government at the center on its own. PML(N), ANP, PML(Q) and MQM are the other main political parties which have been given mandate by the electorate, though in varying degrees.
PPP Parliamentarians, PML(N) and ANP leaders had held deliberations and even demonstrated their total strength of 171 at the luncheon reception hosted by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. But still there were no signs of the new governments being formed at the national and provincial levels as the Jour Tour is continuing.
Election Commission of Pakistan also took its time to notify the official results. The same was announced after a gap of some eleven days or so and that too not complete due to one reason or the other. The ECP gave three days to a pretty large number of the Independents to join parties.
While the official results notification was keenly awaited, the political leaders Asif Ali Zardari, Mian Nawaz Sharif and brother Shahbaz Sharif and Asfand Yar Wali Khan started throwing their cards open calling upon President Pervez Musharraf to step down as the people had given a mandate to their parties against him and restoration of the deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan and the judges of the superior courts on priority basis.
On the other hand, the former ruling party PML (Q) leaders and the Chaudhry Brothers from Gujrat Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, even after announcing they are ready to sit on the opposition benches, did not lose hearts and remained busy in manipulation to do the magic of coming from nowhere and again to venture into the corridors of power forming coalition government another time.
Despite all the denials and clarifications the President's Camp Office in Rawalpindi was directly or indirectly involved in hatching some plans. Their suspicions, apprehension and fears in this regard were duly strengthened and endorsed by the reports that the Chaudhry Brothers were at the beck and call of President Pervez Musharraf and have held a couple of meetings already on their own or a being summoned.
A vicious game was being played in the Federal Capital obviously. It is, however, good to note that new Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, who is regarded as a dedicated and committed professional, is keeping himself at reasonable distance from political developments in the post-polls situation.
The game is to keep the PML(N) out of the coalition government at the national level and develop and promote a coalition of PPPP, PML(QA), MQM and JUI(F) mainly through the game of numbers which is gaining ground due to delay in the formation of the new governments at the national and provincial levels.
It is pertinent to mention here that while determined efforts are being made to keep PML (N) out of the corridors of power, the political parties have showed all their cards rather in a hurried manner and made their intentions well known what they would be doing on priority basis on coming into power ie impeachment of the sitting President and the restoration of the deposed superior judiciary to the great disliking and disapproval of the President's Camp.
And, the President's Camp is still holding back a couple of cards ie defection clause, power to dissolve the assemblies etc. The assemblies created as a result of October 2002 election, it may be pointed out here, were allowed to complete constitutional tenure of five years due to the fact that PML (Q) and allies were in power.