Diplomats indicate Pakistan could embrace another crisis

ISLAMABAD: The diplomats posted here by the foreign capitals have indicated to their respective countries that Pakistan could embrace yet another crisis and turmoil in the wake of unity of the opposition and decision by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to launch a campaign to oust the government.

The sources told The News here Friday that diplomatic missions are also receiving several queries from their headquarters asking for submitting further details and prospects of the movement if unleashed on full scale. The senior diplomats are in constant contact with the opposition’s stalwarts to gather the tone and tenor of their plans about the upcoming situation.

The European diplomats are studying the situation with reference to future of democracy in their host country while Gulf states and Arab countries are more interested in ascertaining the social impact of such movement and its impact on the region.

The sources reminded that the diplomats had initiated sharing their ground situation report-based dispatches to their government after start of efforts for establishing a united alliance against the government by opposition parties.

Most of the diplomats in their initial dispatches were not hopeful of forging a mighty group by the opposition and maintained that constitution of a strong alliance isn’t within the possibility due to serious differences in strategy to deal with the government.

The like-minded countries’ diplomats who gathered regularly were flabbergasted about the communications made by major opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif with the opposition groups, who opted not to accept the lead-role for his party but proposed a religio-political leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to head the movement.

While sitting outside the country where he had gone for treatment of his serious ailment, Nawaz brought his erstwhile opponent and staunch critic PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari into the fold of the alliance. The diplomats gave particular reference to the speeches and tone of the message of Nawaz Sharif which went viral in the country. The dispatches have also catered the trends prevailing in different segments of the political life and stakeholders in this regard. The dispatches have indicated that the opposition will have to face tough resistance from the government, which is spearheaded by a fighting sportsman, who instead like to deal with the upcoming developments with political methods but to fight it out even if required in the streets. The dispatches suggested that in such an eventuality, the situation could take any ugly turn in their host country. The diplomats aren’t hopeful that negotiations will be possible between the two warring blocs since their stance is getting hardened against each other with the passage of every single day.