The PAFFE in action
The PTI has formed government with the help of allies who have a history of ditching their partners. Meanwhile the government-in-waiting faces a strong opposition in parliament. As shown by the plans it has announced, the opposition appears to be fully determined. The Pakistan Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFE) has called on its ticket holders, elected or otherwise, and Senators to hold a demo outside the ECP’s office in Islamabad on Wednesday and its provincial offices on Thursday. The PAFFE has also promised to lodge a strong but civilized protest inside and outside parliament during the first sitting of the National Assembly’s inaugural session. So far the opposition’s target is the ECP, which it holds responsible for rigging during the July 25 polls.
One expects the opposition to hold its fire till the end of 100 days of the new government’s rule. Afterwards it is the opposition’s privilege and its duty to expose whatever flaws it finds in the new administration’s governance. The PTI boycotted the NA for months, resigned and even after returning to the NA it continued to adopt a combative style characterized by unparliamentarily language and picking fights in NA. This will have to change completely if the PTI is keen to complete it tenure
People demand much more than honesty from a political leader. Above all they want him to deliver. For this the ruling party has to formulate policies and get them endorsed from Parliament. Unless the PTI leadership is accommodative and is capable of developing good working relations with the opposition it will be find it hard to pass the bills and the required constitutional amendments.
Soon after occupying the driving seat Imran Khan would find like his predecessors that while he is debarred from taking policy decisions in certain crucial spheres, he is required to take responsibility in case there are failures caused by unrealistic policies. Provided Imran Khan is able to prove that he is his own man, and manages to gain the opposition’s confidence, sections in the opposition might extend him a helping hand. Fat chance of that though.
