The parties in the ruling alliance had joined hands on overthrowing Imran Khan’s government through a vote of no-confidence. There was however no ideological cohesion within the alliance which comprised both secular and religious parties, anti-establishment and pro-establishment groups, and idealists and fortune hunters. The PPP and ANP had recently parted company with the PDM amidst a lot of acrimony. The JUI(F) and MQM(P) considered the PPP as their major rival in Sindh. The PPP wanted to use the opportunity offered by the joint struggle against the PTI government to create a foothold in Punjab to be able to rule from Islamabad.
The recourse to election malpractices including violence, witnessed during Local Government elections in Sindh, made the cracks in the 11-week-old ruling alliance more visible. The PML(N) and the PPP were seen to be taking key decisions by themselves. Mr Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to have authorized PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari to distribute ministries to parties according to their share while Mr Zardari smugly called himself the guarantor of the system. On Monday a number of lawmakers from allied parties spoke in the National Assembly against the PML(N) and PPP. The MQM(P) accused both of not implementing the agreements that had been signed with the party at the time of the formation of the government. The JUI(F) protested the government’s decision to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against a Federal Shariat Court decision in the Riba case. A BAP lawmaker complained of promises not fulfilled. He said those who were desperate to obtain their support at the time of the no confidence vote, did not like their faces now. An MNA from North Waziristan protested the failure of the authorities to produce Ali Wazir in the Assembly despite the issuance of his production orders.
A perception is forming that Mr Sharif lacks the capacity to keep the allied parties together. He has no doubt his strengths. As a good task master, he can get things done by hectoring subordinates. He seems however to be incapable of creating consensus among peers, as required from a PM running a coalition government.
The alliance can complete the remaining 13 months of its tenure only if the alliance heads can jointly devise ways to remove differences instead of making them public. After removing the PTI government they just cannot just walk away accusing each other.
