- Maulana Fazlur Rehman is mistaken to think he can persuade Nawaz or Zardari to join a premature anti-government movement
Deep rooted suspicions still persist between the PML-N and PPP. Even if these are reduced in days to come, the leaders of these parties would still prefer to wait till rising prices and unemployment take the form of countrywide protests and there are signs of the PTI government collapsing under the weight of its failures, and it is no more possible for the powers that be to continue to back it. It also suits the two parties to use all legal forums meanwhile to prove that charges levelled against their leaders were based on malice and were meant only to defame them. How far they succeed in that mission remains to be seen.
The PTI has undertaken the task of the development in the erstwhile Fata through an understanding with the local elite. The move is fully endorsed by those entrusted the task of looking after the security of the region bordering Afghanistan and fighting the remnants of the terrorist outfits. The JUI-F leadership is scared of the consequent rise in the influence of the PTI in an area where the JUI-F worked freely through several seminars, even when no political parties were allowed in FATA. With the JUI-F already ousted from KP, it is mortally afraid of losing its clout in the newly created districts that have been amalgamated into KP. The JUI-F chief has already taken out several rallies, called by him ‘million marches’, against the PTI. There is however little likelihood of his being joined by any of the mainstream parties at this juncture.
There should however be little justification for the PTI government to rejoice. Its failure to focus on fiscal and current account deficits has led to hardships that continue to spread and become more acute. With the common man burdened further, a time might come when the people decide to come into the streets without any call from the opposition parties. The PTI’s powerful patrons will have no option then but to tell the government to control the internal strife or go home.
