The united opposition decided to nominate candidates collectively and support each other during the proceeding
LAHORE: The united opposition decided to nominate candidates collectively and support each other during the assembly proceedings. On August 15, they voted for their nominated candidates for the slots of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the National Assembly.
However, Bilawal Bhutto has reservations about Shehbaz Sharif being the prime minister nominee from the united opposition. The uproar that took place in the National Assembly against alleged rigging in elections did not involve PPP MNAs.
This perspective of politics could easily be understood during the WWI, when Britain and France were allies of the Triple Entente against Germany and other central powers. France had suffered the severest of destruction in WWI.
When the war concluded with the defeat of Germany, and the terms of Treaty of Versailles were being decided, Britain took a rather diplomatic move. Lloyd George, then prime minister of Britain, wanted terms of reparation that would not cripple Germany’s economy so that Germany would remain a viable economic power and trading partner. Lloyd intended to maintain a balance of power in Europe to thwart France from dominating Europe.
Today, this ‘balance of power’ could easily be observed in the NA. With the government of Sindh already in hand, the PPP would not want to let the PML-N halt the upcoming government.
Whatever politics is concealed behind this move, one thing is clear that the old rivals in politics may find a hard time to even remain united under the ‘United Opposition’.
Abdul Fatir Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2018.
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