Rumblings of discontent spread to parliamentary party
The sporadic rumours of submerged differences between the two leading Sharif’s continue to haunt, despite amicable photo-ops, well- meaning, if unheeded, advice of Shahbaz Sharifand self-congratulatory speeches(Hamza Sharif’s mysterious vanishing notwithstanding), but now dissent from a former prime minister, three federal minister and some PML-N backbenchers have brought disgruntlement within the party to the public domain. Political troubles apparently come in droves and battalions( metaphorically speaking), and with the top party leadership mired in corruption cases, but otherwise still maintaining the façade of a unified front, the recent angry outpourings in the National Assembly of ex-PM Zafrullah Jamali and the walkout of three Federal Ministers, led by Riaz Pirzada, and a few of their allied 37 treasury members, could not have come at a worse time for the party and the family, or is the other way round in importance. It can prove damaging for the steadfastness and morale of the rank and file, while encouraging cunning, but unnamed, small mammals, to desert what they regard as a sinking ship. It may also have dealt the mystique of slavish servility of the party to Nawaz Sharif a disturbing blow.
Jamali, while hoping for the ‘rejected assemblies’ premature demise, made out a calculated case against the PML-N supremo, seemingly sound charges, some of which could resonate with people, such as defying the Supreme Court verdict, waging indirect war on institutions, maligning the armed forces, mis-governance in keeping key ministries’ headless’, retaining incompetent ministers, and the claim of being elected by 200 million people. Riaz Pirzada was much more impassioned and emotional, accusing the PM office of instituting an inquiry against him and 37 fellow legislators through the Intelligence Bureau for alleged ties with terrorist organisations, while other government ministers dubbed both documents as fake.
But, as with everything, handsome is as handsome does. Mesmerised by lure of the ‘heavy mandate’, strange bedfellows and arch opportunists, masters at ‘altering when they alteration find’ were welcomed in the party. But such elements disappear in times of dire need, as our chronically unheeded past political landscape shows, and warns. They always come at heavy cost.
