Pak-India tension has eclipsed Imran’s march

View from the Gallery

ISLAMABAD: Legislators of ruling PML-N and allies tend to think that Imran Khan’s Raiwind march on Friday (today) has already been eclipsed by Pak-India tensions, and prevalent security situation on the eastern border. 

This compels them to predict a less tense domestic political scenario in October as Imran could finally come to the negotiating table for some give and take on Panama Papers investigation mechanism.

That means less euphoria, noise and element of surprise on the streets and roads of political hub of the PML-N, the PTI wants to overpower hurriedly in run up to the next elections. But this is a somewhat soothing, optimistic assessment. Charged PTI legislators tend to differ sharply as they present Raiwind march as a defining moment. They are taking pains in trying to draw a clear distinction between the security situation at country’s borders, and internal political dynamics. But one thing haunts their top tier and agitation planners constantly – political adventure like a sit-in at Raiwind may not be well received by a cross section of Pakistani society in the prevalent security scenario.

And this might compel many of their enthusiastic voters and supporters to glue to their television screens to observe the show live rather than turning up in numbers at the venue. A figure like 50k at the culmination point at Raiwind is PTI’s worst nightmare, a 100K and more could be troublesome for the ruling party.

But both sides are sure to indulge in claims and counters all day on Friday. Feeling heat of the adverse situation, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi thronged the Wagha border parade ceremony. We hear the situation at hand has already been discussed threadbare by top PTI tiers. But Secretary General Jehangir Tareen led ‘calculated revolutionaries’ overwhelmed Shah Mahmood Qureshi led pragmatics and experienced hands. The idea of giving another ultimatum or postponing the show later for late October was shot down instantly. And here we are braving a PTI march – the most ferocious in nature since 2014 Islamabad sit-in as far as the rhetoric goes. 

PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) legislators are conspicuously mute on the very issue, waiting in the wings for sanity to prevail. ANP and MQM (Pakistan) are disinterested at all. And PML-N allies are firm behind premier Sharif as political situation unfolds.

Has PTI been caught in a fix for now, public-at-large asks curiously, enthusiastically? Those who claim being eyes and ears of Imran perhaps didn’t see this coming or overlooked the actual gravity of the situation. It is a difficult guess, indeed. But whatever the case may be, it doesn’t give excuse to legislators on treasury and opposition benches alike to show lukewarm response to the Lower House of Parliament proceedings. On the face of it, the political euphoria is perhaps keeping our MNAs too occupied to find the urge to turn up in the House. For the second day in a row, the quorum was not complete. 

On Wednesday, the matter was hushed up, but absenteeism of treasury-opposition members resulted in suspension of proceedings for around one hour on Thursday. And it too didn’t deter many of the treasury legislators from skipping the House when proceedings were ongoing. Though one could understand the absence of PTI legislators as all of the directly elected have already been assigned to rally party workers, voters and supporters to the march venue. But that cannot be a precedent for the treasury members to stay away at a time when crucial Fata reforms are being discussed. Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah couldn’t hold his cool as he took on treasury reminding the ministers to demonstrate some seriousness on this critical issue and come prepared on Friday in a serious mode. For the second day running, the treasury front benches were almost empty. Two three ministers like Sheikh Aftab, Riaz Pirzada, Abdul Qadri Baloch are however an exception for being permanent features of any proceeding. Then Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah, a handful of PPP legislators, Mahmood Achakzai etc are compulsory regulars. Khursheed Shah was quick to point out the way he and PPP Punjab leaders made it to the farmers’ sit-in outside Punjab Assembly. PPP came into action after many months and years perhaps as television footage displayed a small group of PPP jiyalas trying to steal the show as a large pan flexes of party chief Bilawal Bhutto in the backdrop. But the effort didn’t yield the desired results as an under pressure Punjab government got the sit-in vacated after successful parleys with farmer leaders Friday evening.

This perhaps compelled PML-N’s Rajab Baloch to remind the opposition leader to mention farmers’ woes to the Sindh government too. The matter however hyped when “anarchist by choice” Shireen Mazari interjected. Mr Baloch’s rough handling of the situation prompted PTI’s talk show star Shehryar Afridi to exchange harsh words with the former. Afridi opined Raja and ilk should know how to behave with female legislators – reference Khawaja Asif-Dr Shireen Mazari last bout on the NA floor. That is still not settled. Both are firm that the show must go on, waiting in the wings for some other day to settle score. That said, pick of the day was Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s speech on Fata reforms as he came up with some very valid proposals to bring durable peace to that region which has till date acted as a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Operation Zarb-e-Azb by Pak Army has finally stabilised the whole Fata, but the task to bring workable governance system, rebuilding devastated infrastructure, and rehabilitation of commerce and business is gigantic, painstaking. At a time when Fazlur Rehman is so effective and eloquent on Fata issues, he is under attack from PTI and other sections of the opposition for being ineffective as head of the Parliament’s Kashmir Committee. But Maualana is undeterred, not under pressure. He knows his position as a critical ally of the premier from a province being ruled by PTI. That fetches him a record amount of development funds and mega projects. So it is business as usual. Sitting nearby a JUI legislator Ameer Zaman was so overwhelmed by the overall favourable environment his party and leader is in that he went to a sound sleep for more than an hour till the end of the proceedings. And laughter of colleagues and onlookers could hardly wake him up without any remorse. Tomorrow is another day.