Even as the League fights it out on all frontiers, they seem to have deployed their final force, with their senators coming out and expressing reservations ahead of the polls over which they say ‘dark clouds are hanging.’
What with the mood of the country and the general uneasiness surrounding these elections, that might just be true. But it also represents that the League is not going down without a fight and has some serious kick left in it.
Comparisons have been drawn of these polls with the ones in 2002. While they are pertinent, we must remember that things are not nearly as bad. For one, there isn’t an actual military strongman at the helm of it all. Secondly, the electorate actually seems to be aware of who is ruling the roost and calling the shots, and spoiler alert, it isn’t who it’s supposed to be. Lastly, the League will do well in the elections if not the sweep they had last time. That means whatever happens, they’ll still have a strong voice in parliament, and the same presence in the Senate.
But even with all of that, one fears that the League might become muted with Mian Nawaz in jail and Mian Shehbaz taking charge. Not to say that the younger Sharif isn’t staying true to the League’s new narrative, just that they have a sword hanging over him. In fact, multiple swords, and with Abid Boxer’s promise to spill the beans, one wonders what is going through Mian Shehbaz’s mind right now and how he will act if the PML-N somehow manages to make the government against all odds.
Imran Khan, however, seems pretty confident. The PTI won’t form a coallition with anyone, he says. Especially not with the PPP. The PPP, or at least Asif Zardari, has seemed on the fence regarding allying either with the League or with the PTI. Whatever else, Imran Khan might be delusional thinking he will get an absolute majority. That, or he has been given some serious assurances. But that seems unlikely, and Imran is going to have to navigate the murky waters of parliamentary democracy instead of the narrative spiels he has mostly been on since joining politics. Bet he wishes right now he had more practice being in the lower house.
Ahmadi boycott:
The Ahmadiyya community will be boycotting this year’s election. In a press statement, the community’s spokesman, Saleemuddin, said that though the elections would be held under a joint electoral system, there was, however, a separate voters’ list for Ahmadis.
That is a polite way to be boycotting. He didn’t quite mention the inflamed rhetoric and veiled threats against them this election cycle. Unfortunate new low for this election.
Attacks:
Former PM Abbasi’s convoy was pelted with stones and Musa Gillani was caught in crossfire of politics once more. Whatever one might say, this is the bit that everyone agrees is unacceptable, yet it keeps on happening.