Tazeen Akhtar
Shehbaz Sharif has won the majority vote in the National Assembly of Pakistan. He is 24th Prime Minister with 201 votes while Umar Ayub the PM candidate of Sunni Ittehad Council (Independent PTI) could get only 92 votes. Earlier the candidate for Speaker from PMLN and allies secured 199 votes while his opponent got 91.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif has already assumed charge as Chief Minister Punjab, the biggest province that plays key role in securing majority in the Parliament as total seats of all other 3 provinces are less than the seats of Punjab only.
General seats in Punjab are 141 – Sindh 61, KP 45 and Balochistan 16 – Reserve Seats Women in Punjab 32 , Sindh 14, KP 10 and Balochistan 4. It means Total in Punjab 173, Sindh 75, KP 55 and Balochistan 20. It clearly shows the grip of Punjab on the power corridors of the country. This Punjab is still in the hands of Sharif’s.
PPP is looking satisfied with its consecutive governments in Sindh for last 16 years. Asif Ali Zardari is poised to make a come back at the President House soon. PPP has got elected its CM in Balochistan with support from PMLN in exchange of its backing to Shehbaz in National Assembly for PM vote. Moreover , PPP will get Governor of Punjab (probably Qamar Zaman Kaira). PPP agreed to join the government in center as well. This is more than enough for PPP that is mostly constrained in Sindh only.
Shehbaz has been CM Punjab for many times and took over the Prime Minister seat in April 2022 with no trust move against the then PM Imran Khan. PM Shehbaz’ 16 months are termed as hardest for the people of Pakistan because the inflation rose up rapidly and no relief was given to the public that PMLN and PPP governments have been giving to the public in the past.
Public is Disappointed
Prime Minister Shehbaz has pledged to bring inflation down from 30% that is the highest in whole South Asia. He has especially announced to speed up the work on China Pakistan Economic Corridor. He pointed out the economic crisis in the country. He said , this session of the assembly is also held on borrowed money.
PM, at the same time has given hope to the nation that we will control the crisis but the public have lost all hopes for all governments. Only a couple of days ago, electricity and petroleum prices have been increased again. Even the vegetables are out of reach of commoners ,let alone milk ,fruit and meat.
Maryam in Punjab
Maryam has proved herself in last 6 years since his father , uncle, she herself has been fixed in different cases. She stood tall to all challenges. She has inherited this quality from her late mother Kulsum Nawaz. When General Musharraf was about to hang Nawaz , it was only thanks to undaunted struggle of Kulsum Nawaz that the dictator of the time had to give in and release Nawaz alive.
Maryam has started very well by approaching the chair of opposition leader and expressing her best for the opposition in the house. PTI SIC should learn from her gesture. Unfortunately PTI SIC behaved roughly in KP assembly against PMLN MPA Sobia Shahid. Moreover the CM of KP Ali Amin Gandapur reacted highly irresponsible by saying ” she herself wanted this behavior.” This is the difference the people have seen.
Maryam is not indulging in political victimization. She has started work on topical issues like provision of security at police stations, availability of health facilities in the hospitals etc. She inherits administrative qualities from her father and uncle while both are present to enlighten her way to good governance in the province. She will be better as compared to Buzdaar at least and there will be no GoGi around.
Better for PTI SIC
Independents , Sunni Ittehad Council could not get their share of reserved seats and they contested PM vote without their reserve MNAs. Constitutionally no election can be held in the Parliament when it is incomplete. But here Independents themselves are at fault.
Constitution again, also bounds them to file the names of the reserve seats before the election is held but they failed. They joined Sunni Ittehad Council on 21 Feb that means weeks after the election of 08 Feb. The matter is being heard at Election Commission.PMLN side has rightly raised point there that how a party can claim reserve seat that does not have a single seat in the house?
Here it is also worth mentioning that Sunni Ittehad Council has no seat of its own in National Assembly. Earlier Independents were to join MWM that has one seat in NA but their members objected on MWM for its Shia sect affiliation.
Independents chant slogans Thief Thief but matter of fact is that they do not have their own home work for their own demands and expectations. Legal matters are seen accordingly at the legal forums where there is no pressure of self claimed popularity. Better and the Best for SIC PTI is to accept the results that are not bad for them and organize themselves for next election.
They are a government as well in KP. Their provincial government has to work with the center. A continued tussel cum enmity between province and the center will bring nothing good for the people of the province. PTI SIC is supposed to respect the mandate of KP people. They are looking forward to the solution of their problems and not to a fruitless fight always.
PPP, Ride only or Responsibility as well?
Most of the politicians, other than PMLN, PPP definitely, but including the former allies as Maulana Fazl ur Rehman and Mehmood Achakzai are warning neither the government nor the assembly can go a long way. The attitude of Independents (SIC) in the house strengthens apprehensions though Barrister Gauhar has stated to remain in house for putting pressure on the government. Here PPP is expected to play its constructive role for the stability of the system.
During PDM rule of 16 months, PPP enjoyed the power but posed as it is not the part of PDM. In the election campaign , Mr. Bilawal shifted all pressure of the public toward PMLN , disowning PDM gov in which he was foreign minister. This type of hypocrisy from PPP is not expected. PPP always takes credit of saving the country. Now when PPP is getting the maximum from the system, the party should own the responsibility as well and not enjoy the ride only.
Nawaz as MNA only?
Former PM, Nawaz Sharif’s oath as MNA is seen as the future planning. Certainly he can not sit idle in the house as merely MNA. He is not here as Defecto PM but it is some other thing that can be seen in a larger scope. It is not ruled out if he takes the driving seat when the things get settled as per his satisfaction. People make a noise but time heals them and they become ready to work on the same salary. PTI SIC will soon be doing their own work than making a noise everywhere only.
This Scribe Noted Survival and Return of Sharifs in 2017
This scribe noted in 2017 that Sharifs will survive and return. There is no accountability in Pakistan. It is only who is acceptable and who is not. Sharif’s are being persecuted not for their corruption (if any)but because they are not acceptable. It all starts from Charter of Democracy between Benazir (Late) and Nawaz Sharif. Imran Khan was ally with PMLN and PPP against General Musharraf up to the election Feb 2008. He was made a leader only to keep balance in the politics. When two main parties refused to crush one another, a third party was badly needed. PTI is the production of Ideology of Necessity.
One Point Where PMLN, PPP, PTI and Others are at Same Page
But the producers forgot the history of their productions in the past. Now PTI is on the same path followed by the previous productions. 9 May was the culmination in the way forward to the destination or to the destiny. Here all parties , all productions are now at the same page. Everyone is freely talking about end of Military’s role in politics. They are busy in other factors for the time being but one point consensus can anytime become a joint agenda as the top priority. Lets see when it happens and what happens in the country at that time.
