Pressure tactics of the allies of the ruling party are on amid rising tension between the government and opposition parties. According to a news report PNL- Q leadership has intensified backdoor contacts with PML-N and speculations are rife that gap between them is fast narrowing amid the changing political scenario. Hamza Shabaz and Chaudhry Monis Elahi have held one and half hour meeting while travelling round Lahore in a car. It is pertinent to mention that it was elder Chaudhry of Gujrat who used to provide patronage and political protection to Hamza Shabaz during the quasi civilian rule in President Musharraf era.
During the last PML-N government, he tried to mend fences with the leadership of mother party but his efforts did not materialize because of unforgiving attitude of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The situation remained unchanged even after the Panama Papers verdict. National Accountability Bureau Lahore twice raid on the residence of the leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shebaz and further tightening of its noose around PML-N President Shabaz Sharif may have softened the earlier tough attitude of the elder Sharif. The most popular political leader of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto used to say, “The last world is never said in politics.” It appears that the utility of this maximum has now dawned upon the former Prime Minister to establish equation of his party with PML-Q.
PML-Q wants more share in the federal and Punjab governments, a demand which the Prime Minister is yet to give formal nod. It is difficult for the Prime Minister to give ministerial portfolio to Monis Elahi for his being on NAB radar. He will never budge an inch from his principled stand on curbing the menace of corruption which is devouring the economy of the country like termite. It is one of the cardinal principles of his political agenda. That is why no tacit political support is being given to the former PTI senior provincial minister in Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan.
Two opposition political parties PPP and JUI (F) have gone into protest mode and PNL-N has hinted to support them on the issue of rising on the fast rise in prices of essential consumers’ goods and hiking tariffs of energy inputs. Awami National Party President Asfandiyar Wali, while addressing a public meeting at Sawabi the other day warned the government to bring party workers on the streets if any attempt of amending the 18th Amendment is made, knowing the fact that the PTI does enjoy the required numerical strength in the parliament to do this. Raising of bogey of either scrapping or amending this piece of legislation by the leadership of PPP and ANP is nothing but an attempt to hoodwink public opinion. Likewise, the allegation of ANP President is not correct that accountability process of NAB is not transparent and it is being done at the behest of Prime Minister. State institutions are independent to perform their mandated responsibilities to strengthen true democracy which rests on the fundamentals of rule of law, transparency and accountability of public office holders and bureaucracy. The tension on the line of control and war mongering ambitions of Narendra Modi government are still there. The shuttle diplomacy of Zalmay Khalilzad the US Special on Afghanis continues and he has eulogized the efforts of the present government of Pakistan for facilitating several rounds of direct talks between him and top Taliban leadership agree on the parameters of Political settlement of Afghanistan. At this crucial juncture, political stability in the country is must. Any attempt of rocking the boat will run against the interest of the country and this region.
