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LAHORE – Amid a dramatic turn of events starting from the controversy over the appointment of the intelligence chief, the PTI government suddenly finds itself in a political isolation with the allies openly voicing reservations about the incommensurate treatment allegedly meted out to them as the coalition partners.
The divide within the ranks is visible while the Opposition parties are mending cracks in their alliance for a decisive assault on the government.
The PTI government is finding it hard to muster enough votes to get the draft laws on electoral reforms and the NAB ordinance passed even in a joint session of the Parliament despite having a majority of seats in both the houses.
Though the PML-Q and the MQM have been giving vent to their frustration in the past as well and eventually turning out to be even more pliant; but this time around, they seem to be part of a relentless political warfare not witnessed in the last three years. Now the PTI also looks askance at its allies while it struggles to woo them back.
With the general elections expected in less than two years, both the allied parties are not ready to share the responsibility of what they call the “bad governance” by the incumbent government to which they are part of.
We are taking care of them, but they are not: Parvez Elahi
We were allies and will remain so: Usman Buzdar
Khalid Maqbool says govt not heading in right direction
MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Saturday said that the government was not heading in the right direction. Talking to a news channel, Maqbool Siddiqui minced no words when he threatened that his party will have no option but to take a big decision if the government continued with its old practice of not taking its allies on board on important matters including legislation.
Also, the PML-Q leadership is having a brainstorming session for the last two days to formulate its political strategy in the present situation. Party’s central committee met on Friday and Saturday but deferred a final decision till Sunday’s meeting of its parliamentary party which is set to deliberate on the political options in the prevailing situation. Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi will chair this important meeting in Lahore today.
“A unanimous decision will be made and conveyed to the media tomorrow (today) after consultation in the parliamentary committee meeting”, a news release issued at the end of Saturday’s party meeting said.
It also quoted Ch Parvez Elahi as saying: “For the last three years, we have been taking them [PTI] along in the federation and the province. We are taking care of them, but they are not”. He also alleged that the Punjab government’s administration was mistreating the PML-Q workers in every district.
In a statement, party’s Punjab general secretary Senator Kamil Ali Agha reminded the PTI of the last Senate election which helped the government win maximum seats without any contest through the blessings of Ch Parvez Elahi.
Meanwhile, reacting to the statements of the PML-Q leaders, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Saturday claimed that his government was having “best working coordination” with the PML-Q.
He also insisted that all decisions have always been taken in Punjab with consultation.
“The government has always taken its ally along and this practice will continue in the future as well. We were allies and will remain so”, he said in a statement.
He also assured that the government will further improve its working relationship with the PML-Q by taking ahead the consultation process. Usman Buzdar said that before his departure to Saudi Arabia, he visited the residence of Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Parvez Elahi.
“The government has never adopted a solo policy in Punjab and always gave due importance to the suggestions coming from the elected representative of the coalition party. The government will continue to work together with its allies to provide relief to the people of the province”, he affirmed, adding that nefarious designs of those who wanted to create rift among them will be foiled. “The conspirators will fail, and our alliance will move forward as no conspiracy of creating misunderstandings between us will succeed”. Usman Buzdar asserted that the mission of public welfare will be taken ahead by taking the allies on board.