In its final month in power, PTI govt facing tough challenges in KP

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would face a tough challenge in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly which would probably hold its last session from May 14.

On the one hand, the PTI might find it difficult to pass the budget for fiscal year 2018-19 because it lost majority after issuing show-cause notices to 20 members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) on charges of horse-trading in the Senate elections. Some of these MPAs had already left the party or had never formally joined the PTI.

The PTI’s coalition partner, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), has also announced to quit the provincial government. It would formally hold a press conference with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak next week to formally dissociate from the coalition government. The JI move was dictated by the decision by MMA that parties that are part of any government in the country must resign to strengthen the five-party alliance of religio-political alliance.

Although JI leadership has vowed to support the government in getting the budget passed in the assembly, the coalition set-up has already lost its majority and now it would be totally dependent on the opposition’s support.

Presenting the sixth budget, which the PTI chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had termed unconstitutional and even poll rigging, has become a challenge for the government.

Shaukat Yusufzai, the spokesman to chief minister, has said the government would decide about the budget and Speaker Asad Qaiser has been tasked to negotiate with the opposition for support. This is clear evidence of the confusion of PTI leadership. It will be a challenge for the opposition to support or oppose passing the budget. The so far friendly opposition would have to keep its members united in case of opposing the budget as the chief minister has influence over a number of opposition members after having obliged them by providing development funds for their constituencies.

Still the intra-party differences and the post-Senate election developments have caused severe damage to the PTI. If the PTI takes a U-turn and decides to present the budget despite terming it earlier as violation of the mandate, passing it would be difficult.

The acquittal of minority MPA-elect Baldev Kumar by a court in Buner district on Thursday could prove another challenge for the PTI leadership and government.

Baldev Kumar, who was charged in the murder of Sardar Suran Singh, former advisor to the chief minister, was declared as MPA as he was second on the PTI priority list of candidates for the reserved seat for minorities.

The Peshawar High Court had issued his production orders twice. He was produced in the assembly but could not take oath.

To block his oath-taking, the treasury benches with support from the opposition used to break the quorum. However, this time it would be difficult, rather impossible, as the quorum would have to be maintained if the government and opposition agree to pass the budget.

Lawmakers would have to choose one of the two options, passing the budget or breaking the quorum to block Baldev Kumar from taking oath if the court orders his production order for the third time and that too after acquittal from charges.