News Analysis |
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) have set aside their differences to formulate a strategy to avoid the formation of a technocrat government. It is a significant development in the context of the recent public war of words.
Both the parties had cut ties and issued strong statements against each other but have now adopted the much-favored reconciliation policy of PPP co. Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and have agreed to solve their differences. It is an attempt to adopt the mutual policy on parliamentary matters of national interest mainly related to the delimitation of constituencies.
Zardari’s decision to support Nawaz speak volumes of their behind the scenes alliance to facilitate each other in dire need of time and to fight a common enemy.
The consensus has been apparently developed between the foes to work together for upcoming Senate elections in March 2018. On contrary to the stance of the main challenger Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf (PTI) demand to hold early elections, PPP and ruling PML-N want timely elections.
To counter the pressure from PTI, both the foes turned friends are attempting to put aside the ideological differences to ensure that elections are held as per schedule.
PML-N has been using the back door channels to convince PPP to make a partnership with them as far as the parliamentary issues are concerned. The negotiations were ongoing but, the public statement of Nawaz had created a somewhat acrimonious situation between the parties.
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On November 23, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced a rather embarrassing situation, when Zardari rejected his offer to shake hands. In a scathing reply to Nawaz, Zardari said “Nawaz remembers the Charter of Democracy only in case of a personal matter. Sorry, I cannot meet him”.
The political analysts had predicted the course of events that given the majority of PPP in Senate, PML-N would seek their help in passing the delimitation bill in Senate.
Nawaz after his disqualification and relentless pressure from accountability court has been trying to bring PPP on board through different mediators but remained unsuccessful until now.
Leaders of the ruling party had to come to Nawaz rescue and were forced to give clarifications on behalf of Nawaz. They accused Zardari of derailing and sabotaging the politics of PPP and if PPP attempted to become an obstacle, it would tarnish the PPP’s claims of upholding democracy.
Despite this, PML-N has been striving to rekindle the relationship with traditional foes hoping to make political gains in this desperate situation. The PML-N government wants PPP to facilitate the current administration in passing the delimitation bill in Senate.
The political analysts had predicted the course of events that given the majority of PPP in Senate, PML-N would seek their help in passing the delimitation bill in Senate. Though it was Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed who were instrumental in exposing Nawaz’s alleged corruption after Panama Paper, PPP and its senior leaders condemned Nawaz throughout the disqualification process and subsequent indictment.
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Nawaz after his disqualification and relentless pressure from accountability court has been trying to bring PPP on board through different mediators but remained unsuccessful until now.
Given such differences, PML-N should avoid seeking the help of those who criticized and lamented it on corruption charges and its governance.
Nawaz continues its rhetoric against the establishment and judiciary against his ouster. In his attempt to regain political clout, it appears that Nawaz is aiming for timely elections through smooth delimitation process to clear the way for his party to power again to confront those responsible for his ouster more confidently.
Zardari’s initial refusal to shake hands with Nawaz, given his accusation that later always initiate talks when in trouble, depicts the hypocrisy, lack of ethics and morality in Pakistan’s politics. Given that Nawaz does not want technocrat government, Zardari’s decision to support Nawaz speak volumes of their behind the scenes alliance to facilitate each other in dire need of time and to fight a common enemy.