While the opposition’s no-confidence move has yet to gain traction, opposition parties have started to put their resources into long marches. The purpose is to build public pressure on PTI’s legislators and allies to jump ship. The marches are also aimed at pressurizing the establishment to become neutral. While the PDM still has four weeks to prepare for its show, the PPP initiated its march three days back. The two separate marches indicate that the opposition has yet to overcome internal divisions. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other party leaders addressed rallies of enthusiastic workers and sympathizers at various cities and towns on their way. Sindh being the stronghold of the PPP, public enthusiasm witnessed at Karachi and interior Sindh was not unexpected. It remains to be seen how the party fares as it enters Punjab where efforts by Zardari and Bilawal have so far failed to attract the so-called “electables”. It is also unclear what would be the next step after the PPP procession reaches Islamabad. Will the march end there or turn into a sit-in?
As the PPP marchers head towards the Sindh-Punjab border, the PTI has initiated its “Haqooq-e- Sindh march” from the opposite direction, beginning from Ghotki to end in Karachi Led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Shipping Minister Ali Zaidi, the march is intended to challenge the PPP in its sphere of influence. One hopes that the organisers of both the parties have ensured that two highly charged marches do not come into confrontation. There is meanwhile a need on the part of the contending parties to abide by law and avoid confrontation. Political rivalries should not be taken to a point conducive to the intervention of off-stage players. Elected governments at the Center and provinces need to ensure that there is no provocation to peaceful protestors.
The government is apparently unmoved by the march. One of the reasons is the persisting divisions within the opposition parties. Maintaining his sangfroid Fawad Chaudhry claims that the ‘leaderless and aimless opposition poses no threat to PTI government’. CM Buzdar calls it a storm in teacup as no-confidence move remains confined to talks. Unless the combined opposition is able to overcome internal divisions, it would be premature to claim, as Bilawal does, that the time has come for a final push.
