The
practice of mutually differing parties joining hands to form an
alliance is seen with skeptical eyes. This practice of course is
currently taking the main stage in the pre-election scenario as
many parties are involved in election alliance talks. Parties who
have been at loggerheads with each other in the past and have been
rivals are putting their heads together in order to form a
collective offensive against Musharaf. There are reports of the
PPP,PML(N) and PAT forming an electoral alliance, the occurrence
of which will come with a barrage of criticism from all corners.
The same is the case with the reported getting together of the MMA
and the PML(Q) who were at opposite extremes as far as supporting
Musharaf is concerned. As far as the opposition alliance is
concerned it is seen as the necessity of the parties opposed to
Musharaf to get together if they stand any chance of success in
the coming election. As Musharaf’s amendments packages have sent
a wake up call to all parties, as the true intentions of Musharaf
have come to light through these amendment packages. Those parties
who still had a shadow of hope of Musharaf implementing true
democracy and his reforms agenda have also abandoned him. As all
parties have condemned Musharaf’s designs of centralising
authority and implementing a presidential dictatorship.
From the hectic meetings between all major parties on how to
tackle this crucial situation, it seems as though the parties are
very concerned and are very keen on stopping Musharaf in his
tracks. As is clear from the local elections and the referendum,
the government has expertise in the science of ‘engineering’,
thus political parties must act with wisdom if they want to avoid
another ‘referendum’. Political parties have been making
noises of pre-poll rigging which are becoming more common now. It
is not hidden from anyone now that governmental machinery is being
used in favour of the PML(Q), who no doubt will be engineered to
victory in the coming elections.
As a result the main political parties are seriously thinking of
forming an electoral alliance. Although the PPP,PML(N) and PAT
have not seen eye to eye in the past, they all have a common
agenda of stopping Musharaf from implementing a presidential
dictatorship. They have also realised that this can only be
achieved if big parties with public support like them selves get
together. The reason being that the might of a military government
cannot be defeated by any single political party. If such an
alliance was to materialise then it would be certain of success as
the main opponent, being the PML(Q), is pro-government limiting
its chances of success in a fair election. Well it will depend
upon whether the three parties can really accommodate each others
wishes and form an alliance as it would be one of history’s most
unexpected election alliance. Yet it seems understandable that
only such a powerful election alliance would be able to stop
Musharaf from becoming supreme ruler. |
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About
Writer:
Mr. Jawed Iqbal, is an independent writer and a
political analyst. His articles appear in printed and
electronic media of Pakistan
eMail : JAWEDS_WORLD@HOTMAIL.COM |
The meeting of PAT leaders with
the leadership of PPP, PML(N) and ARD does indicate that there is
an alliance on the cards. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has always had the
policy of forming an alliance with parties who have the same goal.
The goal presently being implementing true democracy and restoring
the sanctity and independence of institutions. On the other hand
PAT is also having regular meetings with the leadership of the
PML(Q), which suggests PAT would form an electoral alliance with
the PPP and PML(N), making seat adjustment with the PML(Q).
The PML(Q) knowing that public opinion is severely against
Musharaf, is reportedly in talks with the MMA with regards to an
electoral alliance. The religious parties have never had a vote
bank worthy of any concern, with the collective seats gained by
them in the national assembly being no more than ten, during any
term. The composition of the MMA is quite baffling in itself, in
that Noorani was made its chief. The view in political circles is
that, with there being no chance of Noorani winning his own seat,
he will no longer be required by the MMA after the October
elections as the ‘Sunni vote’, attracted by Noorani, would
have already been cast in favour of the MMA candidates. Well
firstly, as Noorani is in his late seventies and considered to be
way past his best, there is no guarantee that he will attract the
so-called ‘Sunni vote’ and neither do the Pakistani electorate
vote on a religious basis. The PML(Q) is in fact in a limbo,
caught between public opinion and the wishes of the government,
which is why it may take drastic measures such as uniting with the
MMA.
Musharaf indeed is the enemy as far as all political parties other
than the PML(Q) are concerned. Thus, all parties against Musharaf
have a common agenda which brings them closer to each other. This
may prove to be a positive sign for democracy and politics in
general in Pakistan as for too long rivalry between political
parties has lead to national crises. This cooperation between the
parties, although under duress, may be the one benefit of
Musharaf's attempt to centralise authority to himself. As they
say, God does work in mysterious ways.
This
article published in;
Local Media
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