The end of the bonhomie between PML (N) and PPP formally announced by Nawaz Sharif may not have triggered an immediate political storm in the country, but it is undoubtedly, a very ominous development as far as the future of democracy is concerned. The parting of ways between the two was on the cards for quite some time and the PML (N) has used its 10-point agenda only as a red herring to formalise the separation.
Nobody in his right mind could give credence to the view that the 10-point agenda was implementable in the timeframe given by the PML (N). Some observers believe that the split was inevitable in view of the fact that both PPP and PML (N) being the major political forces with their own distinct political creeds could not act as props for each other indefinitely and had to go their own way at some point of time. But those privy to behind the scene developments repudiate this view vehemently and believe that there is more to it than meets the eye.
The hype created about the non-implementation of the SC decision on NRO despite the fact that out of 8,034 cases 8,032 had been reopened and PML-N's unqualified support to it are pointers to the same direction.
Nawaz Sharif is the one who instituted false cases against the PPP leadership at the behest of the establishment that led to incarceration of Zardari and going into exile of Benazir Bhutto. Sharif himself and Senator Saif-ur-Rehman are on record to have admitted that they were under tremendous pressure to implicate the PPP leadership in the false cases of corruption. The theory of Nawaz Sharif doing the bidding of the establishment also gains currency due to the fact that Nawaz Sharif is a product of the establishment and he has always been their man except for a brief period when he tried to take on his mentors and suffered the consequences. His relapse into his old groove and falling in line with the establishment - after the agony that he went through - is a very logical outcome.
Perceived in the backdrop of the foregoing facts, the PML-N's signing of CoD with PPP and its collaboration with it after the restoration of democracy seems a tactical move to bring the PML-N back into the political mainstream after a decade-long isolation as well as having the bar, on becoming prime minister for the third time, removed. PML (N) was fully aware of the fact that it could not achieve these objectives without the support of PPP. Now after having achieved its objective through the 18th Amendment, it feels free to go its own way. It is however encouraging to note that the PPP leadership has decided to stay unprovoked and play its constitutional role as an opposition in Punjab and not to make any move to destabilise the provincial government. It has also expressed the resolve to continue with the implementation of the ten-point agenda and also renewed its desire of remaining engaged with PML (N) in this regard. The portents, however, are not very encouraging. There are indications that PML (N), after winning the support of PML (Q) unification bloc in Punjab, might also try to play the same game in the Centre to work up a simple majority in the parliament to win the right of forming a government in the Centre.