Finally, the PML-N has been pushed to take the decision: the six-month-old coalition is over and the PML-N now sits in the opposition. True, it is a sad realisation that the coalition of the two leading political parties, ideally forged to curtail the role of military establishment, could not survive nor could it achieve much in its six month duration. It is however also true that the PML-N had no choice and this decision was in fact long overdue. The PPP leadership, especially Asif Ali Zardari, had repeatedly broken promises on issues of national interest and Nawaz Sharif had repeatedly given him more chances. But, it had become clear quite earlier on that the real problem rests with Mr Zardari’s ambitions. Critical issues like reinstatement of judges do not seem to suit his plans.
That the PPP today represents a party with no ideology other than to stay in power is sadly very obvious. Since having coming in power, the party has not even bothered to provide a vision for the future forget about practically working towards its. All that is there is a sense of stagnation. Critical issues, like reinstatement of the judges, are being deliberately complicated to suite vested interests. At the same time, day to day sufferings of people ranging from high inflation to electricity breakdowns are going completely unnoticed. There is hardly a sense that a government is actually in place. The only issue on which the government presence can be felt, however, is ironically also the most controversial, i.e., the operations in the tribal belt. Not only have the military operations in the tribal belt, which represented one of the most controversial policies of the General (r) Musharraf regime, continued they have actually become worse. The death toll in every new operation is rising.
It is difficult to make any sense of these military operations other than revealing a close link between the government and the US. It now seems clear that the US did not withdraw its support from General (r) Musharraf till it already had the PPP leadership fully in hand. Mr Zardari in the office of the president is going to pursue precisely the same policies that have been pursued under the Musharraf rule. What could be better news than this for the US and what could be worse news than this for Pakistan. It is also quite ironical that this week has also had one of the cases against Mr Zardari closed in the Swiss courts. He had been cleared of the charges and the US $60 million frozen in Swiss accounts have been released. Even a fool is inclined to ask how Mr Zardari and his late wife Benazir Bhutto acquire this kind of wealth. They clearly did not sell of all their hereditary land in Sindh. So, whatever routes have been used to secure the clearance from the Swiss Court, the fact is that questions about the means used by Mr Zardari to acquire this wealth still remain pertinent.
Now that Mr Zardari is angling for the post of the president, the future of the country could not be more uncertain. Despite initial talks of appointing a presidential candidate from a smaller province, eventually Mr Zardari showed his true ambitions. The question is what good can the people expect from the five-year PPP government if the policies are going to remain as controversial as they are right now? The onus is now on the PML-N which has indeed being providing exemplary political leadership since last year to put the pressure in the right direction. The PML-N is a true representative of the public sentiments and is clearly doing politics of principles rather than opportunism. Not just the spirit shown by Nawaz Sharif but the entire senior leadership of the PML-N is truly admirable. Just as it is not just Zardari but the entire senior leadership of the PPP that stands absolutely discredited in public eyes.
The PML-N has thus chosen the right path by quitting the coalition. It has retained its credibility by doing so. At the same time, it is also in national interest that it sits in the opposition and provides a check on the PPP leadership, which is clearly not inclined to follow public wishes. If there is going to be any good outcome from this parliament then it will be a result of strong opposition and not of the goodwill of the PPP leadership. The hope thus lies with the PML-N and the one good news is that all signs are that it will live up to public expectations.
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