Grand alliance – again

The PTI government has been somewhat fortunate during its first six months in power that the opposition parties have spent as much time sniping at each other as focusing their criticism on the ruling party. Post-election attempts by Maulana Fazlur Rahman of the JUI-F to form a grand opposition alliance came to naught as the PML-N and PPP were never able to come to an understanding. It is a testament to how much the PTI has alienated the opposition parties that they have now agreed to put aside their differences and decided to adopt a joint strategy in opposition to the government. On Tuesday, the PML-N, PPP, ANP and MMA all came together at the invitation of Shahbaz Sharif with only the BNP-Mengal taking a wait-and-see approach. The joint opposition will now form a committee with representation for all its members to formulate a joint strategy to confront the government.

There are a number of reasons why the opposition parties, so frequently at odds with each other, would decide to join hands now. The PTI government looks like it is faltering on a number of issues. The dismal economy, with inflation rampant and the rupee devalued, and chronic power shortages have given the lie to the PTI’s pre-election promise of instant results. Cronyism and corruption – opposition to which was a central plank of the PTI’s platform – have not disappeared overnight. The PTI has a razor-thin majority in the National Assembly and together the opposition parties have the seats to block any legislation in the Senate.

For all the problems plaguing the government, none has been as responsible for bringing the opposition together as the perception that it is using the fight against corruption as an excuse to target its opponents. That Shahbaz Sharif is still facing corruption charges and that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah are still on the ECL despite Supreme Court recommendations that their names be removed is being seen by many analysts as one of the major driving forces behind this alliance. On its part, the PTI has denounced the alliance as just another attempt to finagle another National Reconciliation Ordinance out of the government. But the opposition parties for now claim they want fairness in the anti-corruption fight and not for their leaders to be bailed out. Whether the alliance will remain united long enough to be effective in doing so is still up for debate. The first test of the alliance will be its position on extending the tenure of military courts. The government needs opposition support to secure the votes for the extension but the PPP has publicly said it is opposed to any extension. The rank-and-file of the PML-N also seem to be against granting the extension but Shahbaz Sharif is expected to stand in favour of their extension. If this alliance is to last longer than previous attempts by opposition parties to come together, it will have to show real unity and not just a facade of cooperation.