PML-N seems to have decided to learn nothing
With the PAT’s sit-in wound up, a PML-N minister has called upon Imran Khan to follow suit. At a consultative meeting with the parliamentary leaders, Nawaz Sharif was reported to be relaxed and cheerful. What the Prime Minister should do well is not to forget is that the issues raised by Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan continue to bother many. As long as they remain unaddressed the forces interested in weakening the system could use them to create a crisis. It was in fact the complacency on the part of the government that led to the standoff which made the PML-N leadership lose sleep for weeks. The government feels no urgency to resolve the dispute over some of the constituencies, nor is it keen to speed up the finalisation of the electoral reforms and the enactment of the required constitutional amendments. The country has neither a full time Foreign Minister nor a Defence Minister as the Prime Minister is keen to retain both portfolios. This creates problems and leads to complaints about performance.
Imran Khan and Qadri managed to organise big gatherings, launch marches and hold successful sit-ins because the PML-N government had made the Parliament lifeless. The policy continues even after the drubbing got by the government. Opposition Senators staged a boycott on Wednesday over the absence of the ministers and prolonged delays in providing answers to their questions. A similar attitude displayed by the PML-N ministers in the National Assembly led the Speaker to direct to maintain a record of their attendance.
One had expected the PML-N leadership to emerge from the crisis more humble and responsive. Little however seems to have changed in their thinking. Pointing this out two Opposition Senators reminded the government that the threat to the system persisted. They warned the government not to create circumstances in which the Opposition is forced to stand up against it as it did against the PTI and PAT. It remains to be seen how the PML-N leadership responds to the admonition.
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