Peshawar showdown: PML-N gaining foothold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR: The successful showdown of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the provincial capital showed that the party was gaining ground in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a long break.

The PML-N emerged as the second largest party in the province in the 2013 general election. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) became the biggest political force defeating the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) that ruled the province as part of a coalition government from 2008 to 2013.

It was the second power show of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in KP in a short span of time after his disqualification by the Supreme Court.

Both the Haripur and Peshawar meetings attracted crowds beyond expectations in a province ruled by the PTI.

Though the PML-N has been the ruling party in the past not only in the centre but also in KP, the party remained out of power after dismissal of its government in the October 1999 military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf. The party’s performance in the province during the last almost one and a half decades can’t be termed satisfactory.

After the Panama Papers case and subsequent disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, it was generally believed that the new developments would have negative impact on his popularity among masses, but the successful gatherings and workers’ love for the party chief proved such an impression wrong.

The well-attended Peshawar public meeting addressed by Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz revitalised PML-N workers. It would have upset the PTI that considered the provincial capital as its stronghold. It could be the efforts of provincial leadership of the party or workers’ love for their leader who turned up in large numbers to listen to the party chief who addressed a public meeting in Peshawar after a long time.

Nawaz Sharif was very appreciative of the well-attended gathering and congratulated the party’s provincial President Amir Muqam and his team for the successful show. No doubt PML-N has been passing through a hard time after the decision of disqualification and cases against Nawaz Sharif and his family. However, the successful power show despite intra-party rifts proved that PML-N still had the support of the people and Nawaz Sharif was popular among them.

The ANP’s recent power show in Peshawar on the death anniversary of Bacha Khan and Abdul Wali Khan was also impressive. The party has revived its vote-bank to some extent and is working hard to make a comeback. The revival of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) would also improve the chances of the JUI-F and JI in the coming polls. Still the PML-N could be the main challenger for PTI if the party is reorganized at the grassroots level before the general election.

The party has strong vote-bank in Hazara besides having pockets of support in Malakand division, Mardan, Swabi and southern districts.

However, the party’s high command would have to focus on removing the PML-N workers’ reservations and reorganizing its units as winning election require strategies rather than just relying on holding big public meetings.