PPP’s fight for survival against institutions

Daily Times
In a bid to subside the mounting pressure from institutions, the PPP-led government is weighing the option of an early elections provided a quid pro quo is offered to it by other stakeholders of the political system, particularly the PML-N.

Sources in the PPP said the party leadership was concerned over the PML-N’s inclination towards the institutions, and wanted to make pre-emptive moves before doctored changes take roots.

They said the two parties appeared to be at odds over the memo case and the PML-N’s suggestion for military courts in Karachi. However, the sources added, the differences could be resolved since both the parties were sailing in a same boat of the existing system and comprehending dangers posed to it.

“Dangers to the system are both short term and long term,” they said.

A federal minister from Sindh says, currently, the government is coping with the ‘short-term danger’ of a possible executive-judiciary collision over the implementation of Supreme Court’s verdict on NRO. The court has directed the government to implement the verdict till January 10.

Another executive-judiciary tussle can be the findings of the judicial commission tasked with probing the memo scandal. In this case, the executive is in direct clash with the powerful security and intelligence establishment for having contradictory views on the existence of the memo as well as on the methodology to reach to the bottom of the scandal.

The establishment, the minister said, had so far edged out the government as it had a favourable SC judgement on the petition it sought to file either by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif or PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

“To counter moves aimed at weakening the regime and democratic system, the government will opt for deferment of matters pertaining the NRO judgement,” the sources said.

“In the meantime, the government will be eyeing a concrete outcome from the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the memogate scandal to work at and to ward off an anticipated hostile verdict from the judicial commission.”

A possible way out for the government of the emerging situation in the next couple of weeks is to create a political environment where all political forces find it appropriate to have fresh elections at an agreed timeframe – rather than putting the government in dock.

Insiders in the PML-N say the party knows when and where to play its cards “as of now it has been exerting all-out possible pressure on the Gilani government to concede to its demand of early elections”.

A PML-N leader from Punjab said the party is cautious of the fact that the PPP government needs to be put under a calculated pressure to make it concede to the demand of early polls.

He said the PML-N had been avoiding street agitation against the government as it did not want political atmosphere where “undemocratic forces find a chance to dictate terms to the political players”.

Realising that no change in government is possible through parliament – where the PPP-led government is comfortably placed with the help of its allies – the PML-N moved the SC on the memo and NRO cases.

“The PML-N resorted to these pressure tactics as it was under enormous pressure in the wake of the shift of right-wing vote to Imran Khan’s PTI,” said the PML-N leader.

He said the PML-N was aware of the “miracles” the intelligence apparatus could do to help win a “hand-picked party” a two-third majority in parliament.

The PML-N leader conceded his party “has the experience of working with or under the shadow of the establishment to win elections or marginalised the mandate of rivals”. “Such a similarity can be traced behind the rise of the PTI,” he added.

“By signing the Charter of Democracy, the PML-N has sought an apology from people for serving the military junta of Gen Ziaul Haq and an establishment-driven political party till the late 90s,” he said, adding, “The people of Punjab have perhaps forgiven the PML-N but not those from other provinces.” “The PML- needs to add more democratic credentials to its identity,” he said.

He said the PML-N leadership was ready to iron-out a “workable plan” with the PPP and its allies for the future course of democratic system in the country. “The PML-N will like the PPP to concede to the demand of opposition forces, which see early elections as only option to ward off possible threats to the existing system.”