Political crisis deepens as opposition, govt reverse priorities

ISLAMABAD: The political crisis has deepened in the country as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the opposition have reversed their priorities.

Prior to the voting on the no-trust move, the joint opposition had been campaigning to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan besides toppling the PTI government in the Centre and its strongholds including Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The priorities of the opposition parties have completely changed after the rejection of the no-trust move by the National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri and the dissolution of the NA by the president.

The opposition parties are now demanding to reinstate the PTI government for the voting on the no-trust move to settle the table items in accordance with its strategy after trying to declare the deputy speaker’s ruling unconstitutional. They are also demanding the restore, Imran Khan, to his previous status in the legislature before going for fresh elections.

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On the other hand, the same criteria are seen for the PTI rulership as it did not want to see the ouster of the premier Imran Khan and elections but it is now in favour of his ouster and fresh elections in the country at the earliest.

The political turmoil is further intensified in Punjab province where Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) elected Hamza Shehbaz as the new chief minister in a surprise symbolic session held at a local hotel in Lahore.

Previously, the PTI government had been willing to summon a session to elect Pervaiz Elahi as the new Punjab CM after Usman Buzdar’s removal but now, it is willing to postpone the Punjab Assembly session by using delaying tactics.

The PTI lawmakers had even submitted a no-trust move against the deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari for summoning a session on his own for electing the chief minister after calling it an illegal move.

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On the other hand, PML-N is eagerly waiting to see its chief minister rule in Punjab province at the earliest and decided to challenge the PTI’s no-trust move against the deputy speaker in the court.

A political analyst Irshad Bhatti has summarised the situation in a Twitter message.

کیاوقت آگیاکہ کوئی وزیراعظم نہیں مگر وزیراعظم ہے،کوئی حکومت نہیں مگرحکومت ہےاپوزیشن چاہتی تھی عمران خان وزیراعظم نہ رہیں مگر اب اپوزیشن چاہتی ہےعمران خان وزیراعظم ہوں تاکہ وہ عمران خان کو ہٹاسکے،اپوزیشن الیکشن چاہتی تھی اب نہیں چاہتی،حکومت الیکشن نہیں چاہتی تھی مگر اب الیکشن چاہے

— Irshad Bhatti (@IrshadBhatti336) April 6, 2022

Moreover, the opposition leaders have started mounting pressure on the judiciary to get their desired verdict regardless of the deteriorated political and economic conditions turn up in the country.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court is regularly conducting a hearing on the case filed against the alleged unconstitutional act of the NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri who had rejected the voting on the no-trust move against PM Imran Khan on April 3.