New alliances
Ironic how politics unfolds. Old rivalries turn into hand in glove friendships and once solid bonds break down often due to something of no value, but then again nothing stays permanent in politics, except for change itself. This is particularly true about the politics we have here in our neck of the woods.
The old guard of the PML-Q Ch Shujaat Hussain has been making moves to unite the ever-so-many factions of Muslim League under one banner. This so-called ‘united Muslim League’ is a brainchild of necessity, perhaps, as on their own all the factions of the League come up to nothing as compared to their main rivals, PML-N and PPP and the new entrant PTI. With LG polls being at hand, the Q League has taken it upon itself to make this unification dream come true despite odds being against them. It would make sense if this ‘united League’ could field candidates under one name and put up a strong fight against other parties.
One can’t help but find irony in the situation though. Ch Shujaat and Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa (of PML-N) held a meeting to find common ground recently, with the former stating that since they were the ideological remnants of the original Muslim League, establishing this ‘united League’ was an effort to confront the politics mired with nepotism and running the party as a family business concern, an apparent dig at the way the PML-N manages its affairs. However, both the leaders have been found to be guilty of the same. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat include Pervaiz Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi, while for the Khosas, Saif Uddin Khan Khosa and Dost Muhammad Khosa, are notable personalities in their respective parties. One wonders how good their intentions are in fact.
Chaudharys were also quick to jump ship when Pervez Musharraf, who now heads a one-man party APML, took over a democratic government. This begs question whether this time they really intend to put up a united front against other parties or they just want to create another pressure group and make hay while the sun shines.
