What the maulana wants – Pakistan

The maulana is preparing to send the government home. And there is more confusion in the ranks of the opposition than in the government (the PTI does not need strangers to increase the confusion of its own creation). The PML-N ranks simply cannot decide what to do and are holding consultations after consultations, including Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and the same maulana. The PPP is doing what it has perfected since the 2018 elections: Kabhi Haan, Kabhi Naan (sometimes yes, sometimes no), which continues until D-day, be it the election of the prime minister in parliament or the azadi march.

But Maulana Fazlur Rehman seems firm. For him, October means October, and 27 to be exact. He and his men will descend to Islamabad from everywhere and then it seems that the plan is to stay until the government returns home. The way in which this will happen is far from clear, but politicians in our part of the world are not known for their clear strategy, since they have more hidden hands than logic.

Read: PPP, PML-N's position is uncertain as Fazl announces & # 39; March of Azadi & # 39; against the government on October 27

It is not surprising that when Hafiz Hussain Ahmed was asked how his party thought the government would go home, he said he was not going to share his party's strategy publicly, which is what politicians say when they don't have an answer.

The PPP, on the other hand, is the morally straight part whose behavior is the most inexplicable. After months of Asif Ali Zardari, and sometimes BBZ, warned the government of serious consequences, the party was the first to withdraw once the maulana was in the process of finalizing his plans. BBZ said his party could not support anyone who used the religion card, nor believed in the dharnas. So that was it.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman seems firm. For him, October means October, and 27 to be exact.

But a few weeks later, the PPP was once again willing to be part of a consultation process with the PML-N and the maulana to discuss whether he could consider the march again. Given that the maulana had not changed any of its objectives or methods, it is difficult to understand what the PPP is rethinking. Ask the party wallahs and they will not find convincing answers. But then, they have not been able to reach the latter in any of the changes in their leadership since the 2018 general elections. Extrapolating from the words of a famous poet, the role of the PPP of men and women is not a reason why which but to do … (the rest is better left without reciting).

Read: PPP emphasizes the need for unity of the opposition, warns against unilateral action in a long march

The PML-N never made a categorical statement about the maulana's plans, but has been going around in circles since before the elections. Is it a party of hawks or doves, good cops or bad cops, Nawaz Sharif bayaniya (narrative) or Shahbaz Sharif? It's just a Tower of Babel and nobody can make sense of it, not even the party itself. The same confusion still prevails, although they now have some justification for this with some of the key leaders of the incarcerated party.

They are holding meeting after meeting, but so far they have no end. And the PPP is part of this chaotic "consensus."

It started with the multi-party conference during the summer, where they formed a Rehbar Committee to make decisions. Later, the PPP announced its "no" unilaterally and then decided to reconsider. Now both sides want another multi-party conference. It is not clear whether this conference is intended to help them make a decision or change Maulana's opinion.

But inside the murmur and the two bayanias, the PML-N ranks have some real concerns: the cost of participation. Already faced with the anger of the state in the form of charges, questions and accusations, would you want to risk participating in a dharna and face more of the same? And let's not forget that not all harassment is in the hands of federal organizations such as the FIA ​​or the NAB. Much of this happens at the constituency level and rarely reaches the news. It is these politicians harassed and intimidated at the constituency level who are expected to organize people for jalsas and dharnas.

In other words, there is more to the confusion of the party than just the reluctance of poor Shahbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif's enthusiasm to march.

But perhaps the confusion in both opposition parties can be better explained with a phrase pronounced by a high-ranking opposition politician, who commented that everyone wondered why the maulana had such confidence and firmness in moving forward with his march: Did he have any kind of guarantee or guarantee that the rest did not know?

In the maze called Pakistani politics, where everyone and their aunt are constantly in touch and get their political analysis and predictions of dekhalai makhlooq"It is assumed that politicians who are apparently engaged in a clash are guided by" others. "And it is said that the maulana has always been more inclined than others.

After all, Imran Khan's madness in 2014 was not a decision based on a party consensus, but those who whispered in his ear. The dissent within the party was so great that the PK chapter refused to resign from the provincial assembly, although those who had arrived at the National Assembly had no choice but to surrender their resignations, with considerable reluctance (unofficial) and lament. Exactly what, they may have promised, it is not clear. But it was not meant to be and finally got out of the container without having secured a new election, mainly because despite the great tension and more between the government and the uniformed, the latter were not in the mood to send the former home. .

So the question remains: even if someone has been whispering promises in Maulana's ears that make his eyes shine, why is he believing them? Don't you realize that whispers are even less inclined to drop a government than in 2014? Perhaps the PPP and the PML-N are looking for the answer to this question while meeting meeting after meeting.

The writer is a journalist.

Posted on Dawn, October 8, 2019