It is the fourth time that the house of Sharifs have gained power and we are being expected to think that their current government will be any different. Most things are in their favour. They are at the centre, at the provincial level of the largest province and Peoples Party is providing them shelter. Along with this, they hold all cabinet ministries. Moreover, IMF is coming with $3 billion package. And due to Ramzan the opposition might be in a lull. Therefore, they have green signals glaring at them. But with the above mentioned scenario arise two questions. Will PML-N continue with its
confrontational politics with the PTI and try to politically eliminate them? Or
Would they rather focus on the economic challenges and adopt the approach of reconciliation with other political entities and forces including brute opposition?
These questions remain unanswered but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recent visit to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is directs our attention towards a balance between confrontation and reconciliation. The onus of the meeting lies on Gandapur since political victimisation of PTI and the current ban on visits to Adiala jail musthave knocked some sense into him and he must have taken a principled stance. This is in the backdrop of women prisoners from the PTI being locked in for ages.
The ministers have announced renouncing of their basic salary, although their other perks remain. This is peanuts compared to the assets these careerist politicians have acquired over the years since most of PML-N and PPP ministers are not new faces. They are old hacks.
However, the most important aspect of these elections is that the first time in the national assembly and in Punjab assembly more than 30 per cent PTI diehard members will be sitting. In the proceedings of the last 15 days we have witnessed that the opposition won’t let the national assembly be run smoothly. On the basis of this ruthless majority of opposition, it is very difficult for the Sharif government to run day to day affairs.
The other aspect is Peoples Party isn’t part of the government which means at the time of crucial voting PML-N will not receive a clean chit. As it was seen on March 15, when the government brought 7 ordinances PPP legislators sided with the opposition. This is the first time that an assembly hasn’t crossed even a month but its duration’s countdown has already begun.
