Changing the political scenario
It is now certain that both Imran Khan and Qadri are going to say goodbye to their sit-ins and take part in the forthcoming Local Government polls as a stepping stone towards participation in the general elections. The provincial governments of the PPP and PML-N, which have stood in the way of the LG elections despite pressure from the SC, will no more be able to resist after the PTI and PAT also put their weight behind the demand. Imran Khan has already announced the holding of LG election in KP soon.
While the PAT has yet to spell out its views about the scope and powers of the LGs envisioned by it, Imran Khan has announced that he stood for transfer of funds and resources to the village level instead of these being put at the disposal of the MNAs and MPAs. In other words he would like to make the development activity an exclusive domain of the LGs. The provincial government, under the control of the PPP and PML-N, have so far kept the development funds jealously under their own control believing that this was necessary to retain political influence in their constituencies. The stand taken by Imran Khan is likely to win him the support of a major section of the local elite. In case the PTI and PAT perform well in the polls of the civic bodies, this would benefit them in the general elections.
Both Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri are eyeing the Punjab as their potential source of strength. The PTI leader has demanded major incentives for the farmers which the Punjab government is not likely to provide thus yielding space to PTI. What remains uncertain is whether Khan and Qadri would accommodate each other or fight it out as rivals in the largest province. There is however no doubt that the move by the two has the potential to radically change the political scenario in days to come.
