Daily Times

The coalition government has hit a few stumbling blocks on its way to the upcoming election season. From rubbing shoulders with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (despite having come down hard on the previous government’s handling of such crises) to visible cracks in the rosy budget encapsulated by the federal finance minister as he tried to sell the best product in the worst of times, everything is clearly not well in Islamabad. The optics of Rana Sanaullah agreeing to demands put forward by a sectarian outfit notorious for pulling the brakes on the entire country just because something or the other does not go according to their plans would definitely impact the liberal vote bank of the face of the government. This is especially worrisome because the last few months have seen a dramatic shift in the policies of PML(N) as it is using every trick in the book to appeal to the urban, educated and young Pakistanis.

On the other hand, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s rebuke to key ally Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over his reservations against “non-allocation” of flood relief funds might open far more cans of worms than the sitting government can afford at this moment. According to their own spokespersons, the general polls are just around the corner and no one needs yet another reminder of who stands to win when the two elephants fight. The acrimonious politics of the past cannot be allowed to take root, especially when the economy is just one crisis away from a complete meltdown. The ongoing fissured within the ruling coalition would only be resolved if all parties sit together and try to allocate whatsoever funds can be made available for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood-affected areas. That the finances are in no shape to dole out extraordinary packages does not need a reminder but the plight of those stripped of their homes and their livelihoods ever since a flood of biblical proportions disrupted their lives can also not be ignored. The only possible way out of this impasse, like always, involves a dash of political sagaciousness, some economic wizardry and a whole lot of coolheadedness. *