The next two years are crucial
After the deadlock over the talks with the government’s team, the opposition has decided to meet next week to formulate a line of action. What the opposition needs to avoid is making decisions without due consideration of their consequences for the system. The PML-N government has already allowed the proverbial camel to occupy most of the Bedouin’s tent. It would be a folly if the opposition’s actions end up in surrendering of whatever little space is left. The opposition leadership also has to ensure that there is no disunity in its bloc.
The decision taken by the PTI leadership on Wednesday to join hands with the opposition instead of going on a solo flight creates a perception of maturity. It remains to be seen however how deep the realisation of the need to work together with other opposition parties truly is. The PTI has to understand that mass agitation has to be the last tactic and is to be resorted to only when all other options have been tried and found useless. It is equally important for the government to ensure that it does not create a situation where the opposition is forced to take recourse to desperate measures. As the government has the biggest stake in the preservation of the system it has to go the extra mile to reach an understanding with the opposition. For this it has to give concessions instead of taking a maximalist position.
The opposition is united over the accountability of the Prime Minister’s family first and foremost, after which cases of others involved in corruption or in having bank loans written off or setting up offshore companies are to be taken up. The government has yet to consume two remaining years of its tenure. This provides the opposition enough time to think out new ways of putting pressure on the government to force it to either accept the opposition’s ToRs or be exposed and lose the election.
