The break-up of the hybrid system which depended on the establishment’s support has exposed the lack of competence in the PTI leadership. Among other things PTI has lost Punjab which it had ruled for more than three years and where it was also hoping to retain a hold after the next elections. CM Usman Buzdar, called Wasim Akram-Plus by Imran Khan, turned out to be a nonentity unable to play any role in the political crisis that has hit the province. The recently appointed party chief of the province resigned within weeks. Punjab was ‘ruled’ by a single man but the Punjab party has been divided into three regions led by three presidents for lack of a single suitable leader capable of running the party affairs.
Imran Khan was removed as PM on April 10. Within a week he received another shock as Hamza Shehbaz was elected CM of Punjab with the help of PTI dissidents. This was a big setback to the PTI which depended on manpower as well as fund-raisers from Punjab to hold rallies and marches. The failure of the Long March showed that after the loss of Punjab it might become difficult for PTI to put up major power shows while Mr Khan, who is scared of arrest, might not feel secure in the province. Henceforth KP was to be the sole reliable province from where PTI leaders could freely call their opponents traitors, thieves, looters, and boot lickers. In the case of Mr Khan this amounts to confining a whale to a small pond.
In view of threats to the Buzdar government from the nine party alliance and PTI dissidents, Mr Khan had nominated Ch Pervaiz Elahi as PTI’s candidate for the slot of Punjab CM. The PTI was however outmaneuvered by the alliance, which succeeded in getting Hamza Shehbaz elected.
The ECP has announced by-polls to 20 Punjab constituencies on July 17. The other five comprise seats reserved for women and non-Muslims. With the ruling alliance united and the PML(N) and PPP putting up joint candidates, there is a likelihood of the alliance out-voting the PTI.
