Cracks appearing in opposition to benefit ruling party

Differences between the two parties benefit ruling PTI

ISLAMABAD: With the approval of three bills regarding the tenure of the services chiefs in Parliament, the PTI has checkmated its political rivals as it managed to pass the legislation regarding the extension in the tenure of an army chief — as directed by the Supreme Court — as well as created cracks in the united opposition — between the PML-N and PPP in particular.

Political analysts consider the passing of amendments to the Army Act 1952 a major victory of the ruling party.

According to insiders, the PPP leadership feels it has been betrayed by the PML-N as the country’s largest political party, including its president Shehbaz Sharif, did not take them into confidence over their decision to back the amendments.

Last week, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the PML-N had ended their role of opposition by offering “unconditional” support to the government’s proposed bills pertaining to the services chiefs tenure.

The PPP was not taken in loop over the matter, he added.

A senior PPP leader told The Express Tribune that the PML-N, besides not taking his party into confidence over the matter, did not even support its proposed amendments in the Army Act. According to sources, this was very disappointing for the PPP.

A joint meeting of government ministers and opposition leaders was held in the Parliament House on Monday, which, the sources said, was attended by Law Minister Farogh Naseem and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak on behalf of the government. The opposition was represented by Khawaja Asif, Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Sanaullah and Mohsin Ranjha from the PML-N while former PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar participated from the PPP side.

The PPP proposed two amendments in the Act: removing the clause that army chief’s extension could not be subject to judicial review, and that a prime minister appear before the National Security Committee and justify the extension in an army chief's tenure

Interestingly, the sources added, the suggestions were rejected by both the government and the PML-N.

A senior PPP leader, on the condition of anonymity, admitted that the party was again “ditched by the PML-N despite supporting it in difficult times”.

“We did not accept membership of standing committees until Shehbaz Sharif was announced as the Public Account Committee (PAC) chairman,” he said. “Earlier, the PAC chairmanship was offered to Bilawal but he refused to accept. Later, Shehbaz resigned as the chairman, without taking the PPP leadership onboard.”

The senior PPP leader said they tried their level best to keep the opposition united but to no avail.

“Despite severe opposition within the party, we participated in JUI-F’s Azadi March,” he said, adding that the PPP chairman had condemned the National Accountability Bureau and the government over the arrest of Maryam Nawaz.

He said that the PPP also welcomed the lifting of a travel ban on Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds but now they have “lost the trust” in the opposition leader.

The party leader claimed there was no understanding with anyone over PPP’s support to amendments in the Army Act.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that PML-N workers are also unhappy with the party leadership’s decision to support the government in getting the legislation through.

Political analysts believe that the divide within the opposition will benefit the ruling party.

Earlier, both the parties had jointly moved, though unsucessfully, a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani