For over two years the PTI government rejected every effort made by the opposition to run the parliament by improving mutual working relations. The PTI leadership instead tasked its MNAs to ridicule the opposition lawmakers, call opposition leaders thieves and dacoits and shoot down all offers for talks on vital national issues, calling these attempts to seek the NRO. To top it all the NA speaker who is supposed to act as a neutral guardian of the House continued to act in a partisan way. Trampling upon age old parliamentary traditions, he refused to use his discretionary powers to order the production of opposition’s detained lawmakers and on an occasion refused to give mike to the Leader of the Opposition.
Now that the opposition is in the middle of its agitation aimed at removing the government, the PTI leadership wants to initiate talks to bring down the prevailing political temperature. Coming as it does at this juncture the move is bound to be construed as a diversionary tactic. As things stand the government has done little to create a conducive environment for the talks to be possible. Instead, a few weeks back senior PMLN leader Khwaja Asif was arrested in an assets beyond means case while a fresh case of corruption has been filed against CM Sindh. It is quite understandable that the PMLN has ruled out the possibility of holding talks with the government on any issue.
While the opposition has withstood persecution under the PTI government, it remains to be seen if it can manage its internal divisions. All components of the PTI had agreed to offer resignations when required, hold rallies and launch a countrywide long march towards Islamabad as the final assault on the government. The PPP is now less than enthusiastic about resignations while Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called upon the opposition parties to table a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. As if downgrading the long march he says even 10 rallies will not yield the kind of results. Couldn’t he take his proposals to the PDM meeting instead of going public on them. Outbursts of the sort could create a perception that the PPP is conducting some sort of backdoor diplomacy and weaken the PDM.
