Opposition’s huge rallies

The campaign to unseat the government is finally underway. Whether it is sustainable or would lose steam as controversies take hold remains to be seen. But there’s one unmistakable takeaway from the Gujranwala and Karachi public meetings. There is a yearning for change as for over two years, people’s endurance has reached its limit.

The rising cost of living, escalating prices of commodities including petrol, transport, medicines and electricity as well as the closure of factories and businesses have cast a gloom over the country. Never before in the nation’s history has such insurmountable economic hardship been faced by not only the rank and file but upper middle class citizens too. This aggravating socio-economic landscape becomes more ominous as people remember the promises of ‘change’ that was to usher in a new dawn.

This countrywide resentment in the face of unprecedented failures in all sectors forced erstwhile opponents to seek a rapprochement to confront the regime. Pitted against a formidable ‘enemy’ they lost no time in agreeing on a minimum programme to get rid of a government that has enjoyed support of powerful forces within the country.

The timing was appropriate. Over two years is enough to evaluate a government’s performance. The impoverished millions can take it no more. People waited for relief but the opposite happened. The opposition parties tapped into this despondency and the response was overwhelming.

There is hope that a new force is emerging to take on the government and create an environment for a real change. But creating such conditions is not going to be easy. For a political movement to succeed in Pakistan’s context, it will be necessary to mobilise the masses and other pressure groups like teachers, clerics, transporters, low-paid government employees, railway and port workers, etc. When workers across the country begin to stage demonstrations, government machinery is paralysed — that is the time for real change.

The PDM is still struggling to mobilise employees. But one thing is unmistakably clear: people are desperate for real change founded on solid output.

The public meetings at Gujranwala and Karachi generated hope for a political movement that would aim to bring profound change and reflect the authenticity of the people’s vote. The enthusiasm shown by tens of thousands was unprecedented in recent years. The spontaneous response was even unexpected by the political parties’ leaders.

But then attention was immediately diverted to Nawaz Sharif’s speech at the Gujranwala rally where he was critical of the role played by the country’s establishment in the PTI’s election victory. Minus these unwarranted remarks, the two meetings would have created new political dynamics that the country was longing for alternate leadership. Inadvertently, Nawaz made Imran Khan’s task easier. The latter was quick to grab the opportunity. The PM launched a vociferous attack on the PML-N leader and hence got even closer to the ‘establishment’. The controversial remarks, in retrospect, were a gift to Imran Khan.

Now the opposition faces a daunting challenge: how to mend fences with the establishment while continuing its tirade against Imran’s government?

Many in the country’s powerful institutions believe Nawaz was just giving air to his grouse against last election’s rigging and he has no ill will towards the institution. They argue that while in power Nawaz catered to the needs of all vital state institutions, including those responsible for defence, and he has no visceral disdain for the defence establishment. His record in office as PM, they think, is testimony to this.

It will take time before the damage is neutralised. The following weeks witnessed sharp rise in political activities. Whether the opposition’s alliance will remain intact is a crucial question. The movement’s sustainability would hinge on the unity of the opposition. The message the alliance would convey is simple. There has been deterioration in the quality of the governance the government has delivered. Considering the people at the helm, the number of ministers and advisers, the inescapable conclusion is: the situation on all fronts is not going to improve; if anything it could be worse.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2020.

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