PML-N in a corner

• Bad policy or smart strategy?

Ever since Nawaz’s ouster PML-N seems to have adopted a questionable twin strategy of bringing state institutions into disrepute and allowing serious, sometimes dangerous, issues to simmer till the political climate becomes chaotic. It let the Faizabad issue spiral out of control, despite the judiciary being drawn in, and wrapped it up only after a clumsy capitulation. It has similarly bungled the Pir Sialvi issue, leading to resignations from five of its own lawmakers. And it has yet to take any constructive steps regarding the fallout of the Model Town report.

Prime Minister Abbasi might have to revise his “zero plus zero” analysis of the sympathy – or perhaps opportunistic – alliance spinning around PAT sooner rather than later if his government is really not worried about another grand dharna. Recent sit-ins and street protests have caused considerable pain all the way from the government to the economy down to the common man. And it was exactly the possibility of more such protests that made the stock market tank more than 1,100 points a few days ago. For far too long, and for no reason, the government has allowed offices to be shut and roads closed even if it means a market crash and a foreign investment exodus.

Such inaction gives weight to chatter that the ruling party wants to encourage confusion, even chaos, on the broader political scene. Stung by Nawaz’s fall, the clique around the former PM, it is said, is bent upon creating a vacuum that will, inevitably, draw in other institutions. And, in line with the strategy since the disqualification, PML-N can play the martyr all the way to the election. If true, this strategy is not playing out too badly. Already there is plenty of confusion and institutions are invariably drawn in to the political mainstream. Yet whether PML-N is struggling to find its feet or crafting a clever scheme will only become clear as the election draws near.