News
Monday, January 03, 2011
Repercussions of MQM’s decision on Punjab
By Raja Riaz
LAHORE: The MQM’s stepping down from the governmental has not only heated up the political temperature in the country, but also given life to the hopes of anti-government forces of achieving their goal – toppling the government.
A study of the recent happenings and comments of the ‘political wizards’ on the issue tells that there are several forces who give the impression that when they wake up in the morning, the PPP government will have become a story of the past. They sleep every night after completing their spade work, but in the morning they have to start ab initio as the government is still there. No doubt a section of the press has the same wishes.
The MQM spokesman announced at a media gathering that their separation from the government was a result of public pressure. The rise in petrol prices, load shedding, lawlessness and other issues have made the lives of the people miserable, and they put pressure on the MQM leadership to quit the government. Levying of tax on feudals is another demand of the MQM. No doubt these slogans are really impressive, but would they attract the people living outside Karachi and Hyderabad?
The recent situation is that the PPP seems to be alone and other parties are getting distance from the single largest party in the National Assembly, but indications from the PML-N leadership reflect that the second largest party in the lower house of parliament will not allow smaller groups to blackmail the PPP and will not become part of any move tantamount to toppling down the democratic system in the country.
The PML-Q though is not showing any interest in inclining towards the PPP, yet political pundits are of the view that the two parties can come closer as in the past such gestures had been shown by them to join hands with each other. The party chief of the PML-Q, Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, made a way for himself to the Senate with the support of the PPP some two years back.
A credible element is of the view that the PPP and the PML-Q can join hands to continue the system. Whatever may happen in the Centre, it will leave a heavy impact on Punjab.
Look at the party position in Punjab – the PML-N does not have a simple majority despite being the largest party, the number two is the PPP and then comes the PML-Q. The PML-Q came in the House with 84 seats, but only 27 stand with them in the House and 55 have formed their own group – the dissidents.
If the PML-Q and the PPP decide to come together in the centre, the effect will certainly trickle down to the provincial level and the parliamentary history of Punjab tells that if the unification group members see their mother force (PML-Q) in power, they will not waste a moment to jump back. It has been witnessed in Punjab in the mid-90s that more than 150 members changed their loyalties in the morning towards a party and the same number somersaulted in the evening to the other party as the equilibrium tilted towards that party owing to a court order. A quote from a dissident group’s member is worth mentioning here, “We left Q for power... if they come into power, what bad is there in going back to Zahoor Elahi Road.”
The same two parties also entered into negotiations some time back when the Governor’s Rule was imposed in the province. Insiders tell us that all modalities had been done, but the office of the chief minister was a bone of contention, as the two were bent upon getting it and not showing any flexibility on the matter.
Former Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi, once talking to Daily Times, said he would never sit on a horse whose reigns were in the hand of any other person. This time the issue may be resolved, as the PPP can share power with the PML-Q, giving steering in the hand of their leader. In this case, they would be in a better position of enjoying their share, as the PPP men are not comfortable with the sitting skipper, Shahbaz Sharif, as his “dictatorial attitude” is not only non-cooperative, it is also insulting for them. By having a PML-Q man in the driving seat, they will ride better.
Whatever the situation comes, Punjab MPAs wukk certainly see good days, as presently even the PML-N members are not happy with Shahbaz Sharif. On several occasions, they expressed their dissatisfaction, saying that retired bureaucrats were given preference to them. The opinion of a bunch of retired bureaucrats always prevails on their point of view and in most of the cases, party MPAs are not consulted. With this political change in the county, the scenario for Punjab might not change, but PML-N legislators are hoping for their say in the party and decision making process.
The PML-Q, if it comes nearer to the PPP, can get double benefit, as along with getting considerable share in Punjab, it can also get its lost glory in Balochistan, as more than one dozen members of the Q-League changed their loyalties soon after the elections and become part of the coalition government. The PML-Q can get its share back.
Despite all these possibilities, the strongest notion is that the PPP and the PML-N will support each other and get rid of small pressure groups. The system will continue and the assemblies will complete their constitutional tenure.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk