ISLAMABAD: Faced with an uncertain political future in the face of the existing challenges, the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership is making attempts to accost the other opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a bid to grapple with the prevailing situation, only to receive a ‘cold shoulder’ from the latter.
In the past few days, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tried to hold a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif but the ex-chief minister Punjab declined to see the PPP chief, according to well-placed sources familiar with this development.
Before launching ‘train march’ from Karachi to Larkana, Bilawal tried to hold a meeting with Shehbaz in line with his efforts to forge a joint strategy against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI’s) federal government in what comes as an apparent bid on part of the PPP leadership to exert pressure on the government and state institutions to “stay away from Zardari.”
On Tuesday, Bilawal launched the train march under the label of Caravan-e-Bhutto from the metropolitan city to the PPP’s stronghold in demonstration of its political muscle at a time when serious corruption cases are pending in the courts and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against PPP supremo Asif Ali Zardari. Bilawal not only took jibes at Prime Minister Imran Khan but also took on powers that be, in implied vibes, though.
Few days back, Bilawal visited Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. After the meeting, Bilawal not only spoke highly of Nawaz but also criticised the federal government for what he termed as the failure of the government in providing adequate medical treatment to Nawaz.
“He (Bilawal) had ideas to share – to wage a joint and aggressive campaign against the government – but Mian sahib hardly showed any enthusiasm,” said a senior central leader of PML-N, requesting anonymity.
The ex-PM remained non-committal and largely unresponsive to Bilawal’s political prospects, the source said. After receiving a cold response from the elder Sharif, Bilawal is said to have made ‘desperate’ attempts to meet Shehbaz, the younger Sharif, but in vain.
“This is not the right time for adventurism,” said a PML-N insider. “There are serious cases against PPP and our leadership. The policy of confrontation would not help.”
Many in the former ruling party believe their leadership aggravated the situation and miscalculated the gravity of the situation – by striking a defiant chord against the state institutions. “We can’t afford any more miscalculations,” said one of the close aides of Nawaz, the ex-PM.
The former premier, he said, finally realised that public opinion was not much in favour of PML-N which explained the lack of any adverse public response when Nawaz, his daughter, and other family members were jailed last year.
Conspicuously, Nawaz and his daughter, who, till few months back, were directly targeting the state institutions, are now keeping mum which is brewing speculations that a covert deal is in the making to allow the ex-PM fly out of Pakistan on the pretext of medical treatment.
Speaking to The News Today, PML-N Chairman and Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq denied that any deal was in the offing. “For the record, the Supreme Court has not allowed Mian sahib to fly abroad. It has only granted him bail due to a genuine reason, his health condition is deteriorating and he needs proper medical treatment,” he said.
Asked if the ex-PM would fly to London if allowed by the court, he said, “It depends on the physicians’ advice. Needless to mention that Mian sahib’s heart surgery and all the related medial treatment took place in London and the physicians there have a better idea about his health condition than anybody else. But it all depends on how the things unfold.”
On PML-N leadership’s reported reluctance to meet the PPP leadership, Haq did not offer a direct response. “Both PML-N and PPP are two separate political forces. We believe in cooperating with opposition parties to keep a check on government. But every political party has its own set of political preferences. The prevailing circumstances are quite challenging for the opposition parties and any step should be taken after reviewing the situation.”
The PML-N chairman denied that Shehbaz was reluctant to meet Bilawal. He said, the PML-N leadership would discuss the possibility of political cooperation with PPP once Sharif’s health improves. “Right now, our foremost concern is Mian sahib’s health.”
In a meeting with a select group of reporters in Islamabad, senior PPP stalwart and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Khurshid Shah recently said that PML-N and PPP needed to cooperate, which, he said, was necessary for their political survival. When asked to comment on PML-N leadership’s cold shoulder to PPP’s command, he said “If, at this time, the opposition forces are reluctant to join hands, they will pay the price. It’s now or never.”
