It was brain child of JUI Maulana Fazalur Rahman to convene All Parties Conference to sort out modalities how to bring change in the government. Chair person of PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that they shall stop passage of budget. They have formed a committee to contact PTI allied parties to motivate them to join opposition parties in blocking the passage of budget without bothering to know that PTI has adequate numbers to pass the budget. Opposition was banking on the support of chief of BNP-M Akhtar Mengal it died its own death when Akhtar Mengal met Prime Minister Imran Khan who assured Mengal that their all demands as agreed earlier shall be met gave a big blow to opposition.
APC as planned was held and it was decided to give tough time to government inside and outside the parliament and make all out efforts to obstruct the passage of budget but government is not at all pushed and people have witnessed passage of budget with comfortable majority that has shaken the opposition ranks. Opposition must realise that their protests will further add to the economic woes of the people who are already crying against harsh decisions that has resulted in increase in prices of daily commodities and dollar flying high on daily basis, and there is every possibility that it may not gain momentum. Opposition parties should realise that Maulana is trying to play game for his own advantage by using them because he is not representing any body. It is a fact that neither government nor opposition is in mood to show any flexibility and both are adamant to pull each others legs and this is being termed as “Beauty of the democracy”. Opposition leaders time and again have said that they have no intention to bring down the government and would not derail the democracy but fight will go on constitutionally. It was also decided by united opposition to replace Chairman Senate because they have support of 61 Senators in the upper house and the change over shall be in line with constitutional norms . Since Chairman Senate was installed by PPP and those who instal has the authority to bring change so if it happens there should be no surprise. The problem is who will be the next Chairman Senate, as is apparent PML N will have more say as compared to other opposition groups. PPP has over ruled Raza Rabbani who is more matured and experienced senator than others and has remained Chairman Senate in the past and may nominate Deputy Chairman Mandvi Wala . The opposition has decided to observe 25 July as Black Day. It is planned to organise protests and and agitation against the government. The opposition alliance has rejected the budget as per practice in vogue and to maintain this dirty practice spread over the years and to strengthen democracy being practiced in Pakistan
What is the role of opposition. This is important to understand , therefore brief explanation is being given to readers. This role can be divided in to two parts, firstly role of opposition practiced in the rest of the world and secondly the role of opposition in Pakistan.
The main role of opposition is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to public. Opposition provides alternate government and challenges the policies of the government and giving different policies in the larger interest of people. As leader of the opposition is responsible for representing the opposition at state functions meeting with dignitaries and other important events. If they succeed in political numbers they increase their chances of toppling the government. The opposition major task is to hold accountable the government. Opposition does not have the facility to access different departments of the government as is the case with the government, he keeps an eye and ear on what the people are saying and what the people need. Another leading role of opposition leader is to raise issues with the government. We can go adding to compile a very appealing and comprehensive list of demands. However criticism for the sake of criticism and securing points should be the least priority. Our past history of democratic governments has remained pathetic and no lessons learnt. Government considers opposition as enemy number one and opposition don’t like the face of government, and government from day one starts hating them creating hurdles and ignores them on all important events setting worst examples in the history of Pakistan.Traditionally defeat is not acceptable to parties and those who are defeated don’t accept the results of election and openly attribute it to rigging and accuse establishment and the process goes on ending in chaos and disorder.
People were expecting some changes from PTI in country’s political culture leaving behind old traditions but it is certain that day will never dawn. If previous governments failed to establish healthy traditions is it a must that PTI should also follow wrong practices? Past is always to learn and correct mistakes but in Pakistan it is used as action replay. PTI’s stance to ignore leader of the opposition and other heads of parties in state functions is highly objectionable and is against the basic spirit of democracy. This would add to more confrontation and that is something that needs to be avoided. Pakistan is passing through deep financial crisis that demands unity by all the political forces.
It is strange that the gravity of situation is being explained by the Chief of Army Staff instead political leadership. Gen Bajwa in his recent visit to UK spoke in length about the pathetic state of economy and again repeated it in his address to NDU officers along with top economists including financial advisor and chairman CBR. At the end he gave a brilliant message that we need unity. As a true Pakistani I have been preaching this for many years. Let me state it categorically the beginning has to be done by the government they must change their attitude towards opposition failing which it will bring more harm to country instead of doing any thing good. Harsh measures help temporarily but in longer run prove to be counter productive. PTI must put its own house in order and sort out differences in camera instead highlighting them through wild statements. We do hope sanity shall prevail and opposition shall avoid confrontational politics as it only help our enemies.
If these politicians most of whom had been rejected and discarded by the people had a sound political purpose the APC might have produced if nothing else political consensus as well as harmony. With the purpose lost in the mist of corruption charges and accountability the purpose and motive of this APC was a non starter from the word go. Hence it ended just as merely a political put up show with no meaningful consequences.