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| India-Pakistan |
| Pak opposition parties to consolidate |
| 2011-07-08 |
| The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have decided to bury the hatchet and past acrimony in order to work jointly as an effective opposition in the elected institutions of the country. In a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday their senior leaders committed themselves to jointly struggle within the constitutional ambit and rule of law for resolution of people’s problems and for confronting the daunting challenges faced by the country at a critical juncture of its history. By avoiding the expression of ‘grand alliance’ the two sides have exhibited realism because of serious difficulties to achieve that in the immediate future. But realignment of these two parties has ended Nawaz Sharif’s isolation skillfully crafted by President Asif Ali Zardari by luring most political parties in the government. The MQM will benefit in diluting PML-N’s resistance in Punjab to its efforts to expand outside urban Sindh. In fact its grouse against the PPP stemmed from the belief that it is being confined to its Urdu-speaking base. Beyond that a concerted campaign by combined opposition seems a distant prospect at the moment in the absence of a clear goal and minimum agreed programme. Sharif’s eagerness to oust the government and force an early election would require a huge effort. The MQM, despite its rhetoric, has yet to adopt this extreme posture. The regrouping of the opposition is a healthy development good for consolidation of the existing fragile democratic dispensation. Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan has welcomed it and the prime minister says it poses no challenge to his government which is strong enough to withstand any opposition pressure. This confidence stems from its alliance with the PML-Q which has provided enough votes to sustain government majority in parliament. In his usual optimistic mode he has also alluded to possible rapprochement with MQM. Yet it appears to be an understatement keeping in view Altaf Hussain’s current mood. Besides if other opposition parties and groups also gel into a united front, the government will face formidable challenges. There are some preliminary signs of such a development. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has backtracked from previous position that Sharif is biggest hurdle in the opposition alliance and has shown willingness to accept him as leader of the alliance. The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Pakistan of Imran Khan and the Jamaat-e-Islami have voiced reservations. Imran feels it difficult to coalesce with Sharif whom he is posing a significant challenge in Punjab while painting him as a leader committed to preserving present corrupt system. The JI has traditional ideological and territorial feuds with the MQM. In the end, however, all these parties may forget mutual differences and adopt a common plan to get elections sometime this year before the PPP secure absolute dominance of the Senate in polls in March. |
| Posted by:Steve White |