A three member Supreme Court bench presided over by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has set aside the ruling of the Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker who had declared Hamza Shebaz Punjab Chief Minister. The Punjab cabinet, which had been sworn in soon after has been sent home. A PTI-PML(Q) government with Pervez Elahi as CM has been put in place. While it is a victory for PTI, Imran Khan will have to be content with an ally, rather than a totally dependable Usman Buzdar, as his chief minister. In view of the unhappy memories of allies, Mr Khan will be looking over his shoulder every now and then
If the PTI and PML(N) manage to evolve a modus vivendi in Punjab the three-month long political crisis might come to an end in the province. This is however an uphill task. The PML(N) and the PTI have taken political rivalry in the province to the level of personal enmity. With the Punjab administration under the PTI’s control, Mr Khan is likely to use the government resources and party workers to force the PML(N)-led government at the Centre to announce early elections. As things stand the PML(N) is keen to complete the full tenure of the National Assembly. This could add to the existing ill will between the two parties.
The PML(N) still considers Punjab as its fief in spite recent setbacks, particularly during the by elections. Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif was “deeply worried” and “little convinced” by the various explanations given by the senior leaders for the poor showing in the recent Punjab by-polls. He is keen to retrieve the PML(N)’s political turf from the PTI. which he considers an intruder. There are reports that PML(N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz is to be given a key role in the party leadership in Punjab. Both Nawaz Sharif and Maryam have reportedly concluded that the debacle in Punjab was the result of the absence of effective leadership and the abandonment of Nawaz’s trademark anti-establishment narrative. There is a perception that if the PTI is sidelined by the establishment it might be forced to normalise relations with other mainstream parties. This seems to be a long shot but in case this happens, this would improve relations between the two parties.
