- Parliament needs to be given due importance
Imran Khan’s political tsunami has humbled a whole lot of political leaders besides knocking the wind out of the extremist and sectarian networks and making heads of religious parties bite the dust. Major Pashtun and Baloch nationalist leaders too have lost elections. Demolishing MQM-P and PSP leadership, the PTI has wrested 15 national assembly seats from Karachi. While the leaders of the PPP have managed to save their seats and increase their parliamentary strength, Bilawal Bhutto lost elections from his party’ stronghold of Lyari and was defeated in Malakand. Notwithstanding the much criticised pre-poll meddling having harmed the PML-N, the PTI would have by and large acted as a big leveler even without the unwarranted intervention. Thus a number of colourful turncoats who were made to change over from other parties to the PTI were rejected by the electorate.
While criticising the shortcomings of the ECP, the PPP has declined to attend the multi-party conference called by the MMA. Nawaz Sharif had called the election results tainted and dubious and the current PML-N leadership had vowed to give tough time to the PTI in NA. The ANP and MMA are however meditating to initiate the type of protests conducted by the PTI during the PML-N tenure. After requests for recounting on three NA seats where candidates lost with smaller margins were accepted there is little justification for agitation. Despite PML-N’s marginal edge, neither of the two parties can form government without the support of the independents. Let the issue be resolved through normal political process. Any role played by NAB and other agencies would cause turmoil.
The opposition needs to allow the PTI government to concentrate on resolving the grave challenges faced by the country while using the parliamentary platform to criticise its shortcomings. The previous neglect of the NA by both the PML-N and PTI must end. Parliament should become the major forum to resolve differences duly attended by party leaders. Meanwhile as Imran Khan prepares to assume the PM’s office, he would do well to invite the heads the governments of neighouring countries to his inauguration as a fresh move towards the improvement of relations.