Testing the unity of the opposition

• Need to cut these parties some slack

In a country where civil liberties and media freedom are under strain, a quasi-presidential system has been brought in as a step towards the presidential form of government and the economic crisis has made life difficult for the common man, the opposition is expected to play a vital role in setting things right.

The two major parties that have ruled the country in the past are currently under an unprecedented squeeze. The PML-N is in dire straits with former PM Nawaz Sharif seriously ill and in jail and the party’s current President Shehbaz Sharif, facing several NAB cases, spends much time shifting into and coming out of NAB and judicial custody. What is more, he continues to be grilled in ever new cases without any pause. Rana Sanaullah, the most important PML-N leader in Punjab after Shehbaz Sharif, has been arrested by the ANF on an improbable heroin smuggling charge. Some in the party’s second-tier leadership are languishing in NAB or judicial custody while cases are being opened by the accountability body against others. To put life into the party workers, party Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has announced a protest rally in Mandi Bahauddin today.

The PPP is being provided a similar treatment. Former President Asif Zardari is presently in NAB’s custody while the accountability body has got his sister Ms Faryal Talpur’s physical remand. Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, who was arrested by NAB on February 20, is now facing a corruption reference.

Some of the differences between the opposition parties were brought to light during the Rahbar Committee meeting. Divided over the selection of a permanent convener, they decided to make the office rotational. They agreed to remove the Senate Chairman but delayed the nomination of his replacement till July 11.

Unless the opposition parties manage to evolve mutual trust, they may not be able to perform the role the masses expect from them. How far the opposition is going to succeed will become partly clear on July 9 when an attempt will be made to remove the Senate Chairman and when it reaches an understanding on his replacement two days later, and the holding of the Black Day on July 25.