The election for the office of Punjab CM held special importance for both the PTI and the PML(N)-led ruling alliance. For Imran Khan getting coalition partner Ch Pervez Elahi elected CM had turned into an existential need as without control over Punjab Mr Khan could not to make a successful bid for Islamabad. Similarly there was a perception in the PML(N) that the loss of Punjab could be a prelude to the fall of the PML(N)-led federal government. As a result of the recent Punjab Assembly by-polls on 20 vacant seats, the PTI-PML(Q) had managed to acquire 186 seats while the PML(N) stood second with 179. This led some bleeding-heart liberals to suggest that political morality required Hamza Shehbaz to resign. This was however too much to ask when the other side continued to violate ethical norms. The ruling alliance therefore refused to concede defeat in the Punjab Assembly.
Petitions by PTI lawyers seeking action against PML(N) leaders for attempts to bribe PTI MPAs were returned by the Supreme Court for being based on assumptions rather than evidence. PTI leaders however continued to accuse their opponents of indulging in horse trading. Displaying a lack of faith in the moral integrity of their own MPAs, the party decided to keep them in hotels two days before elections and bring them straight to the Punjab Assembly under watch so that they could not be approached by the government.
The precautions failed to get Ch Pervez elected. Known for his wheeling dealing skills, PPP leader Asif Zardari called on PML(Q) chief Ch Shujaat Hussain and again offered to get Ch Pervaiz elected as Punjab CM on the ruling alliance’s ticket, thus making the PML(Q), which is already a part of PM Shahbaz Sharif’s cabinet, a part of ruling alliance in Punjab also. Ch Pervez’s blunt refusal led Shujaat to direct the PML(Q) legislators in the Punjab Assembly vote for Hamza Shahbaz. As all the 10 legislators defied the party leader’s directive, their votes were canceled, leading to Hamza’s re-election as CM.
The PTI lost Punjab which it did not expect. It cannot accuse the government of indulging in foul play by arresting its lawmakers or making them disappear. Its dreams to lead million-marches to Islamabad with Punjab government resources have been shattered. This is likely to make Mr Khan more desperate. But he knows that with Punjab under the PML(N) administration, the federal government is well placed to deal with unrest.
