Opposition comes together against govt.
Pakistan’s Opposition parties have finally come together and forged an alliance against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
On Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif hosted a lunch in his chamber at Parliament House for other Opposition leaders. Interestingly, this luncheon meeting was attended by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership in full force. Former President Asif Ali Zardari and party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, after meeting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mr. Sharif, announced a joint political strategy.
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry termed this alliance an ‘alliance for the restoration of corruption’. He was alluding to the corruption cases against the leadership of both parties. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sent back to jail after another conviction last month, while the PPP leadership is facing cases related to money laundering and fake bank accounts.
“The PML-N and the PPP are two sides of the same coin. We beat them both. This alliance just proves the PTI’s point of view that both parties are one and the same. There won’t be any effect of their joining hands together,” said Mr. Chaudhry.
The PTI leadership may be trying to make light of the alliance but experts are of the view that the Opposition can make things difficult for the government when it comes to important legislation. “These parties understand that to put pressure on the government, they have to come together and be effective within Parliament,” said analyst Mazhar Abbas.
“The alliance is not on a solid footing due to the underlying insecurity and one of the parties may go for a deal,” said Mr. Abbas. He added it suits the PTI if the Sharifs strike a deal. If they do, the PML-N will be divided. “Mian Nawaz Sharif will only break if there is an adverse decision regarding Maryam Nawaz. On the other hand, when it comes to the PPP, they know that the party hardly exists anywhere outside Sindh, hence they are invoking the 18th Amendment and the Sindh card.”
The PPP leadership feels that the 18th Amendment, which gives tremendous powers to the Provinces, is under threat. They also think that since Sindh is the only Province where the PTI or its allies are not in power, the government is targeting their leadership. It must be noted that Mr. Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, son Bilawal Bhutto and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah were among the 172 suspects in the fake accounts case who were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL). The names of Mr. Bhutto and CM Shah were finally taken out of the ECL after the Supreme Court reprimanded the government.
‘We will fight back’
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, spokesperson to Mr. Bhutto, said the PTI thought it could wipe out the Opposition through alleged corruption cases and turn Pakistan into a one-party system. “If the government thinks it can bully the Opposition into submission, it’s in for a real surprise. We will fight back.”
Mr. Abbas, the political analyst, said the cases against Mr. Zardari are serious. “Prime Minister Imran Khan may compromise on some issues at the government level but not on corruption cases.” He said that even if some sort of a deal is offered to the Opposition in these cases, it will not be offered by the government but the powers-that-be. PM Khan could still say that he wanted to take action against ‘corrupt leaders’ but they ran away.
Only time will tell if the Sharifs or Mr. Zardari will strike a deal but what is clear at the moment is that the Opposition is ready to give a tough time to Mr. Khan’s government.
(Originally published in The Hindu)
On Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif hosted a lunch in his chamber at Parliament House for other Opposition leaders. Interestingly, this luncheon meeting was attended by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership in full force. Former President Asif Ali Zardari and party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, after meeting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mr. Sharif, announced a joint political strategy.
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry termed this alliance an ‘alliance for the restoration of corruption’. He was alluding to the corruption cases against the leadership of both parties. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sent back to jail after another conviction last month, while the PPP leadership is facing cases related to money laundering and fake bank accounts.
“The PML-N and the PPP are two sides of the same coin. We beat them both. This alliance just proves the PTI’s point of view that both parties are one and the same. There won’t be any effect of their joining hands together,” said Mr. Chaudhry.
The PTI leadership may be trying to make light of the alliance but experts are of the view that the Opposition can make things difficult for the government when it comes to important legislation. “These parties understand that to put pressure on the government, they have to come together and be effective within Parliament,” said analyst Mazhar Abbas.
“The alliance is not on a solid footing due to the underlying insecurity and one of the parties may go for a deal,” said Mr. Abbas. He added it suits the PTI if the Sharifs strike a deal. If they do, the PML-N will be divided. “Mian Nawaz Sharif will only break if there is an adverse decision regarding Maryam Nawaz. On the other hand, when it comes to the PPP, they know that the party hardly exists anywhere outside Sindh, hence they are invoking the 18th Amendment and the Sindh card.”
The PPP leadership feels that the 18th Amendment, which gives tremendous powers to the Provinces, is under threat. They also think that since Sindh is the only Province where the PTI or its allies are not in power, the government is targeting their leadership. It must be noted that Mr. Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, son Bilawal Bhutto and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah were among the 172 suspects in the fake accounts case who were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL). The names of Mr. Bhutto and CM Shah were finally taken out of the ECL after the Supreme Court reprimanded the government.
‘We will fight back’
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, spokesperson to Mr. Bhutto, said the PTI thought it could wipe out the Opposition through alleged corruption cases and turn Pakistan into a one-party system. “If the government thinks it can bully the Opposition into submission, it’s in for a real surprise. We will fight back.”
Mr. Abbas, the political analyst, said the cases against Mr. Zardari are serious. “Prime Minister Imran Khan may compromise on some issues at the government level but not on corruption cases.” He said that even if some sort of a deal is offered to the Opposition in these cases, it will not be offered by the government but the powers-that-be. PM Khan could still say that he wanted to take action against ‘corrupt leaders’ but they ran away.
Only time will tell if the Sharifs or Mr. Zardari will strike a deal but what is clear at the moment is that the Opposition is ready to give a tough time to Mr. Khan’s government.
(Originally published in The Hindu)
Comments