To the point of no return
https://arab.news/npudc
If PTI parliamentarians do not return to the party fold, they’ll be socially boycotted... is the message that the Prime Minister gave to his parliament members in his last public meeting.
Hence, the dominant thrust of the PM’s response to the opposition’s constitutional challenge is one that is censuring the reportedly planned act of between 20 to 30 parliamentarians who were elected on his party ticket but are planning to vote against him.
On March 8, Pakistan's major opposition parties, including the PML-N and PPP in exercise of their constitutional rights, submitted a motion for a vote of no-confidence (VNC) against the Prime Minister in the parliament. With the opposition, especially the PPP, repeatedly calling for a vote of no-confidence since November 2020, this vote came as no surprise.
On March 10, only two days after the opposition’s VNC motion, the ISPR-- the public relations wing of Pakistan’s powerful military-- said that the army has nothing to do with politics.
Now, the political battle is on. The government and its four allied parties have 179 seats and the opposition has 162 votes, but the numbers are on shifting sands with the allies still not committing to voting for the PM. Meetings continue as both the government and the opposition are lobbying for their support.
While the opposition’s thrust has been to gather the numbers through breakaway PTI members and government’s allies, plus now seeking the Supreme Court’s ruling that the constitutional articles can neither disallow casting or counting of the vote against the party leader, the government has adopted an aggressive multi-pronged strategy to defeat the opposition’s VNC motion. The Prime Minister is personally leading the charge with at least the following 7-point thrust to counter the opposition’s VNC move.
Pakistan's political players, especially the ruling party, has queered the pitch. Something must give.
Nasim Zehra
One, that the opposition is attempting to win the VNC by deploying immoral means and that money is being used to break away PTI parliamentarians.
Two, that the people of Pakistan are fed up of politicians switching political sides in the past because of greed and that this time around, the public will actively reject such side-switching. Interestingly, PTI supporters in several cities have protested, including outside the home of some of the defecting PTI members. The protests included a violent attack by an angry mob led by two PTI parliamentarians on Sindh House, where some of the defected members were lodged with the opposition. The protestors broke down the main gate raising slogans against the PTI parliamentarians who had spoken on camera against the PTI leadership.
Three, that censure against the defecting members will surface in the form of their social boycott- something the PM spelt out in his last public meeting.
Four, that the opposition’s winning plan is constitutionally flawed and by the government going to the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 63-A, PTI defections can be prevented.
Five, through social media, unsubstantiated reports are being widely circulated claiming that because the government has adopted an independent foreign policy, some foreign powers are conspiring with the opposition for the removal of the government. Name calling of the opposition leaders ranges from calling them foreign stooges, thieves, dacoits etc.
Six, finally, by invoking religion, the Prime Minister has announced in his speeches that God calls upon his people to actively oppose all wrongdoing.
Imran Khan is hoping he and his team, through reiterating moral outrage, can compel his party members to stay in the PTI-fold and thereby also force his allies to not cross over to the opposition.
Although many believe that this government must complete its term ie. just another year, the ones who seem to directly and indirectly control or influence the numbers including the opposition, the government’s allies and PTI’s disgruntled, have more compelling political reasons to push for Khan’s ouster.
Pakistan's political players, especially the ruling party has queered the pitch. Something must give. These growing tensions will yield a winner and a loser. Significantly, the numerical strength of the parties in the parliament, the ruling of the Supreme Court on whether a parliamentarian’s vote cast against the party leader on a VNC motion will be counted or not will impact the outcome of this political battle underway- as will of course the decision of the four parties currently allied with the government who between them have 24 parliamentary votes.
And finally, beyond Pakistan’s turbulent political landscape, there is Pakistan’s power landscape too- it seldom before has been as volatile and explosive as it now appears to be.
- Nasim Zehra is an author, analyst and national security expert.
Twitter: @NasimZehra
