100 days of politics: Govt aggressive, opposition passive

Prime Minister Imran Khan has luck on his side since July 25 elections; not because he has performed all that well but hardly faced any stiff opposition even on unpopular decisions like price hike, rise in electricity, gas, petrol and CNG prices.

However, the big question is as why such a powerful Opposition, both at the Centre and in Punjab was unable to challenge the PTI government in its first 100 days? Are there more cracks in the Opposition than in the coalition government?

While the prime minister would set new directions for his government on completion of 100 days, and one is anxiously waiting for his address, there is apparently no counter plan from the Opposition, something which goes in favour of the government. In the last 100 days, the government looked more aggressive and in opposition mood than the Opposition parties. The key Opposition parties could not get united despite JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s desperate efforts. He could not break the deadlock between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari and did not succeed in his efforts in 100 days. Now, the JUI-F is busy in creating a situation from MMA’s platform but despite three public meetings it could not muster much support.

The next 100 days are equally important for the Opposition as the fate of their key leaders would be decided including Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Capt Safdar (retd), Ishaq Dar, Kh Saad Rafique on the one hand and Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Sharjeel Memon and Dr Asim Hussain on the other. Cases against some top MQM leaders may also be decided in the next quarter of the PTI government.

But will the cases and inquiries pending against the PTI leadership including PM Imran Khan, former chief minister, KP, Pervez Khattak, Azam Swati, Babar Awan, Aleem Khan and others would also be decided is a big question.

Therefore, all is not well for the PTI government as it too faced embarrassment on certain accounts. The PTI’s backed Senate chairman is no more in the good books of the government since he had banned Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry from the upper house. The government’s performance is also poor when it comes to introducing any legislation in 100 days and the PM himself could not fulfill his promise of regularly attending the National Assembly and Senate sessions and introducing PM’s hour. The Supreme Court has already taken up the case of Azam Swati and both Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry were also summoned in different cases.

The government should blame itself for setting 100-day as benchmark for setting direction and therefore it should not blame the media for creating hype and high expectations. Media was itself facing a serious crisis, which has sharpened in the last 100 days.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is also lucky that he got the timely backup support on economic front from Saudi Arabia, China and UAE, but the big question mark would remain on dealing with the IMF and FATF, which required some tough decisions. While the Opposition’s criticism on the government policies confined within the Parliament, government should also be thankful to the Opposition particularly the PML-N and the PPP for extending support in handling the crisis created by the fallout of the Supreme Court’s verdict on Aasia Bibi case, when the supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan almost paralysed the country. As the government would complete its 100 days, it has decided to go tough on the TLP as its leadership and hundreds of activists facing cases have been arrested.

The Opposition also backed the prime minister’s reaction to US President Donald Trump’s harsh statement against Pakistan. Even the Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif extended support to the government in this connection.

Law and order and security situation not remained up to the mark and the recent attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi caused serious embarrassment to the government. Although, the terrorists could not enter the consulate or caused harm to any Chinese diplomat or staff, the incident did not go well and raised question on security steps. Similarly, the huge blast which killed over 30 people in Orakzai Agency was also termed alarming. The kidnapping of an SSP, from Islamabad and his brutal murder could be termed government’s failure in doing much on internal security.

However, Imran Khan’s government was lucky that it is not facing the kind of crisis which the PPP and the PML-N government had faced from 2008 to 2018, when the country was in the grip of worst kind of terrorist attacks with complete breakdown of law and order in North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Karachi. The PPP government in particular as well as the ANP faced the reaction from outlawed groups like the TTP, during 2013 elections and many of their leaders and workers killed in target killings and in suicide attacks. IK’s government intentions looked very clear and they intend to go tough on the PPP and the PML-N, as this is the narrative, which the PTI and Imran believe voted to power.

Therefore, the families of the two; Sharifs and Zardaris are also not out of trouble as they too are facing inquiries. While Maryam Nawaz, who once use to be most vocal has not uttered a word (at least not the way she use to) since the death of her mother Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. Hamza Shahbaz, leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly, also seems to be in trouble since the NAB has summoned him.

As for Zardari’s family, he and his sister Faryal Talpur are on bail before arrest in the alleged ‘money-laundering’ case and the JIT for the first time has also summoned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Some of the second tier leaders of the two parties are also not out of trouble. If leaders like Kh Saad Rafique, his brother Salman Rafique and others are on the NAB or FIA’s ‘radar’, the PPP leaders since the days of the PML-N government were also facing the NAB and FIA, like Dr Asim Hussain, Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Nasir Shah and others. For all practical purposes, Opposition remains ‘silent’ including the ‘mysterious silence’ of PM Imran Khan’s biggest political rival, former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz while the premier and his ministers hardly missed a day when they had not attacked the Opposition in 100 days.