Daily Times

Despite official ban on public gatherings amid second wave of corona, PDM’ leadership thought it more appropriate to go as per plan about rallies in Peshawar and Multan . No attention was paid even to the threat alert of possibleterroristattacks.Was it courageous on part of the opposition to call thousands of supporters under extremely hazardous environment amid surge in corona cases? Was it so emergent or unavoidable to arrange a mass gathering despite threat alert of terrorist attacks? Relevancy of these questions increases manifolds with the fact thatPDM’s unnecessary adventurism was not capable enough to alter existing political equation.

There can be three possible reasons of this non-flexible stance of PDM’ leadership. First; the lives, health and security of the masses were not priority matters for PDM. Second, opposition believed that government was exaggerating the corona second wave rhetoric to spoil the momentum of their movement. Third, credibility of the threat alerts was questionable in the eyes of PDM’ leadership. Disappointing reluctance in engagingwith the political opponents through dialogue has spoiled the political environment to a great extant. Neither ruling party nor opposition made any attempt to find a middle way between the two extreme stances. When opposition held a big rally in clear violation of SOPs and official instructions, it was actually a big blow to universally agreed civic norms and a shocking exposure of hollow claims of supremacy of law. It will be unfair to put all blame on the shoulders of opposition, while the government neither implemented its writ nor convinced the PDM leadership to postpone the rally until the situation gets normalized.

Middle Eastern quarters having concerns on China’s warm ties with Iran will surely be viewing Pakistan with a changed lens.

There was hardly any solid political message for the masses in stereo type speeches made by the top leadership of PDM. Old anti- government rhetoric was repeated with indirect but highly obvious criticism on the state institutions. Opposition’s desperate calls for the immediate ouster of elected government lose credibility once PDM’ leadership fails in presenting any viable legitimate method well within the constitutional parameters. Huge public gatherings can increase public pressure upon the ruling benches but do not provide any legal or constitutional basis for early departure of the government. As far as issue of public pressure is concerned PDM, despite comprising eleven parties, has not yet been able to assemble such huge crowd which could seriously push the ruling party at back foot. Though, opposition is trying to optimally exploit the issues of poor governance and price hike but wiping off the stains of own pathetic past performance seems to be a much difficult job for both PPP and PML-N while the former continue to persistentlyfail in the arena of Sindh. PDM, being an unnatural alliance amid ideological polarization in its parties, could not yet attract sufficient public attention due to absolute lack of a clear political strategy. Fiery speeches, taunting and dragging the state institution in political battles might fetch some short term non-serious applause in public gatherings but in the longer run a statesman is expected to be more prudent, focused and objective about national issues. Bitter memories attached with the history of PDM style political alliances needs to be recalled to gain more clarity on present intriguing scenario. Who can forget the thundering movement of PNA against electoral rigging which led to dramatic fall of ZA Bhutto and eventually ended at Zia martial law. Let’s not forget that seven out of nine parties of PNA relinquished their basic demand of fair elections and preferred to join the cabinet formed under martial law regime. The only two parties which refused to be part of non- elected martial law cabinet were Tehreek e Estaqlal led by Air Marshal(R) Asghar Khan and JUP led by Allama Shah Ahmad Noorani. Likewise, another political alliance IJI could not deliver anything to the country except manipulations, instability and corrupt political practices. PMLN and PPP introduced the culture of systematic conspiracies, vendetta and horse trading in national politics. JUI-F Chief, who announced a war against elected government in Peshawar rally, too has a dubious track record of changing loyalties if offered attractive package in power corridors.

People of Pakistan have all the rights to probe the real motives behind extra- ordinary provocative activism of PDM. If whole struggle aims at revival of democracy and restoration of public mandate through fresh elections, then how PDM is going to manifest this dynamic agenda? PDM lacks requisite potential to launch a successful ‘No Confidence Motion’. Stereo type
spiritless gatherings are too ineffective to compel the ruling party to step down. PPP will surely divert resignations option to long march or sit-in.

Otherwise, PMLN is not in a suitable position to enter the election with its both prime ministerial candidates, Maryam and Nawaz Sharif, sitting disqualified out of the arena. PPP and PMLN are the obvious contestants in any future elections as they proved during recent polls in GB. With such obvious short comings, why PDM is trying to create a chaotic shadow much bigger than its actual size? It seems that ouster of present government is the real motive behind PDM’s political activism. Though PNA vanished after Martial Law but political instability caused by it subsequently affected Pak response in dealing with a highly complex situation in Afghanistan.A sudden break in existing democratic process or change of regime means nothing short of sabotage of CPEC.Middle Eastern quarters having concerns on China’s warm ties with Iran will surely be viewing Pakistan with a changed lens. With this background, it will be fair to perceive that real motive behind opposition’s recent movementmight have strings attached with significant developments emerging in Middle East and South Asian regions.

Writer is a freelance and can be reached at sikandarnoorani@yahoo.com