Daily Times

More than 300 candidates are vying for 24 constituencies of GB Assembly while regional parties besides three mainstream parties are caught in an electoral tug of war. Today it is the polling day. Hopefully, this day will also see peace like unruffled elections rallies and charged but nonviolent campaign.

As far as GB Assembly elections are concerned, PPP, PTI, PML N and Ittehad Banul Muslimeen are pulling the ropes while a large number of independent candidates are also trying their luck in the election arena.

Apparently, a collation government of PPP and PTI in GB seems to be on the cards. In the last elections, PML N won 22 seats out of 24. But this time, on one hand, PML N doesn’t have government in Islamabad; while on the other hand, the narrative of its leadership is a hard pill to swallow for its men in the field.

According to election surveys and opinion of political pundits, some kind of collation government is in the offing. It will be, as the ground realities show, an uphill task for any single party to form the government.

GB Assembly elections prove to be the litmus test for the hypocrisy of Pakistani politics, or to be more precise, the breakdown of PDM narrative. PDM comprised of eleven parties claims to represent public will and restore democracy in letter and spirit in Pakistan. In this backdrop, they, adopting pragmatic approach, could use GB as an available venture for their alliance to join hands to eliminate PTI, but the lust for power hindered their political prudence. Maryam Nawaz who stands for true spirit of PDM narrative, could contest these elections in tandem with Bilawal Bhutto, or make seat adjustment with PPP in some constituencies but no effort was made in this regard. Nor was it even considered by the both sides.

The collation of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan People’s Party is almost unthinkable, rather a snowball’s chance in hell. Pakistanis may remember that when 2008 elections were conducted and PPP formed federal government, both these parties had lately inked the Charter of Democracy. For a goodwill gesture, some PML N leaders were taken in the PPP Cabinet. Then we said that it was unnatural alliance and had ghost of a chance to continue. And the same thing happened. By hurling corruption charges and making nasty excuses, N League minister separated their ways. Today Nawaz Sharif is taking a fancy to PPP, but the same Nawaz Sharif, donning a black coat, appeared in the court in person against PPP in the notorious Memogate Scandal.

Anyhow, it is the past. Coming back to the present times, we can see that Bilawal Bhutto’s sojourn and untiring efforts in Gilgit-Baltistan a month prior to the ongoing elections, his massive rallies and well attended processions have made him endeared to the people of the region. Ground realities show that PPP seems to emerge as a majority party there, thereby a must part of any collation government. Secondly, many such incidents have been reported that PPP and PML N workers confronted, or scuffled or even came to blows. It shows that they are not ready to forebear each other. Inner sources of PPP say that PPP Jiala (enthusiast) dislikes his party’s reconciliation with N League. It can undermine PPP elections prospects in the times to come.

Maryam Nawaz of PML N is also holding processions in which she challenges the establishment, but in an interview to BBC, she voiced their inmost desire that they could talk to the establishment provided it ousts the incumbent government. It means she has unequivocally expressed their chief demand.

Legally speaking, Maryam Nawaz is a convict on bail. How can a person on bail throw demands before the state institutions with such impunity that they should topple a government elected by people? How can the people vilifying and slandering the army in every speech think of having dialogue with the same?

Being the students of politics, when we take stock of the approach, conduct and statements of Bilawal Bhutto and Maryam Nawaz, one thing becomes clear that the former has shown more political sagacity and maturity than the latter. I.G Sindh incident bears testimony of this perception. Bilawal Bhutto has welcomed the inquiry report established by the Army Chief while Maryam Nawaz who in no ambiguous words is desperate in settling things with the army and she herself has admitted that people around her have links from the other side whereas sources say that they themselves have established links with the army, is now casting doubts on the report.

The way this unnatural alliance has fallen apart in GB Elections, it is pertinent to think that it was just a flash in the pan. Very soon Pakistanis will see them hounding each other.