The PTI faces an embarrassing situation. After having being trounced in countrywide bye-elections, the party faces a mini-rebellion that threatens to deprive the Buzdar government of its majority and force it to seek a vote of confidence. The fall of PTI’s Punjab government could lead to destabilization at the centre. With the budget session about to start and the loyalty of a chunk of its lawmakers becoming doubtful, the prospects become all the more worrisome.
Members of Jahangir Tareen’s like-minded group appear in the TV talk shows confronting the PTI’s ministers with a litany of complaints, including vindictiveness, against Chief MinisterUsman Buzdar and PM’s Advisor Mirza Shahzad Akbar. What is more, the PTI’s former firefighter Jahangir Tareen endorses the accusations leveled by the group members. While attacking the PTI’s CM, Mr Tareen assures that he along with his like-minded group are still loyal to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Finding himself to be the principal target of the like-minded group, Mr Buzdar reacted impolitically by calling them a powerful mafia engaged in hatching conspiracies against the PTI government. Mr Buzdar was supported by Mr Tareen’s old rival Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who has warned that the violation of party discipline’ may cost the like-minded group their membership of the PTI. Water Minister Sen Faisal Vawda has claimed that the entire like-minded group can be sorted out by a single SHO. Threats of the sort will not help the PTI government.
Mr Khan can recall the cases opened by the FIA against Mr Tareen or he can cancel his membership of the party. Both options have consequences. The PM has appointed a one-member enquiry committee to look into the cases against Mr Tareen. In case the committee clears Mr Tareen, the PM can rehabilitate him. This could however intensify the factional strife in the ruling party while the opposition would accuse Mr Khan of giving an NRO to his own party man. For a bighead leader, reinstating a man who had initiated a rebellion, might not be a palatable option. The perception that Mr Tareen might be acting on behalf of the powers that be must be disconcerting to the PM. PM Khan has shown little shrewdness in managing national affairs. Will he act more wisely in dealing with the dissidents?
