- Reminiscent of post-2002 elections ‘Zamir ki awaz‘
As many as 64 opposition members stood up in favour of the resolution against Senate Chairman Aslam Sanjrani. When the ballot box was opened their number had come down to 50 only, short by 3 votes to make the resolution successful. This could not have happened without the help of the magician’s wand.
The government had earlier shown signs of panic. The PTI’s Leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Faraz had gone to seek Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s help to block the no-confidence move. When the JUI(F) chief refused to oblige, Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati indicated that voting would be delayed. Soon it appeared that the government and its supporters had succeeded in wooing a significant number of Opposition senators. Prime Minister Imran Khan reprimanded PTI leaders who had gone to meet the JUI(F) chief. While vehemently denying that they were buying loyalties, PTI spokesmen maintained that some of the opposition’s Senators might decide to follow their conscience rather than the party whip. It is interesting to note that conscience did not prick the 14 Senators during several meetings, dinners and lunches where the opposition strategy was discussed days before the voting. Not even when they stood up with 50 others to support the motion against the Senate chairman. If they really had any pang of conscience, the honourable way for them was to convince opposition leaders or resign.
While the PTI spokesperson revels over the success in keeping Mr Sanjrani in office, the horse trading that led to the Pyrrhic victory would remain a blot on the PTI’s tenure. Before becoming PM, Imran Khan had again and again condemned horse trading and called it a dirty tactic employed only by the dynastic rulers. The way opposition legislators are encouraged to visit Banigala has already raised many eyebrows. Buying the loyalties of 14 Senators would present the PTI chief as yet another politician practicing realpolitik in the garb of idealism. As far as the opposition parties are concerned, they deserve what has happened to them for getting elected opportunists only because they are electables. That PTI failed to gain the required numbers to displace Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala indicates the status quo will continue.