Shifting sands of political misfortunes

Political chaos is reaching its crescendo as Monday witnessed hectic political activities not just in the capital but in Punjab and Balochistan, too.

Formal proceedings on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan began in the National Assembly, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar resigned and the government offered the top provincial slot to its ally – PML-Q – in Punjab amid losing four members of an ally – BAP – from Balochistan.

The day began with the submission of a no-confidence motion against Punjab’s chief minister and by the evening Buzdar tendered his resignation to the prime minister, who subsequently offered the same position to PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly’s Speaker Pervaiz Elahi in exchange for its party’s support against the joint opposition’s no-trust motion against himself in the Centre.

After setting itself apart from the ruling party and maintaining an ambiguous silence on its decision for weeks, the PML-Q has swung back into line after accepting the offer for the top provincial slot – a pound of flesh it had been demanding since the opposition began its efforts against the prime minister.

The PML-Q also confirmed it in a statement and said that Elahi, during a meeting with PM Imran, told the latter that "I will measure up to your standards" and assured the premier of the PML-Q's full cooperation.

"As allies, we will serve the nation together," he told the premier. The assurance comes as a shot in the arm for the embattled prime minister who is weighing and trying almost every option in his arsenal to survive the no-confidence motion.

However, the relief came almost in tandem with PML-Q leader and the Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema’s resignation from his portfolio and announcement to vote against PM Imran on the no-trust motion.

In his resignation letter, Cheema said he was "constrained to tender my resignation with immediate effect due to the inability of the government to bring stability to the democratic institutions and resolve serious governance issue[s] in the provinces".

READ Opposition leaders ‘bid farewell’ to PM Imran at PDM power show

BAP crosses floor

The PML-Q’s announcement to stick with the ruling party came on the heels of a significant blow to the latter after the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) — a key government ally — announced it had "accepted the opposition's invitation".

The announcement was made by BAP's parliamentary leader Nawabzada Mir Khalid Khan Magsi in a press conference alongside opposition leaders Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Asif Ali Zardari.

Magsi said that his party had reached the conclusion to join the opposition after consultations as they had "come with a new aim after bitter experiences in the past".
However, BAP’s Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal has not yet announced her decision and she is still with the government.

'Shehbaz to be next PM'

For weeks, swirling speculations made rounds as to who would be picked as the new prime minister. But on Monday, former president Asif Ali Zardari announced for the first time that Shehbaz would be made the premier after the successful execution of the no-trust motion against the sitting PM.

With back-to-back no-confidence motions of the opposition parties in the Centre and Punjab, PM Imran has found himself in a tight spot and took the decision of removing Buzdar – the man whom he had appointed even before taking the oath of his office in 2018 and defended until last week.

With back-to-back no-confidence motions of the opposition parties in the Centre and Punjab, PM Imran has found himself in a tight spot and took the decision of removing Buzdar – the man whom he had appointed even before taking the oath of his office in 2018 and defended until last week.

READ Fawad accuses opposition of following a ‘global conspiracy’

Political expediency

Weeks after a flurry of meetings behind closed doors, it emerged on Monday that the time for impasse has reached a breaking point where things have to move one way or the other; something new has to happen now. The thick political smog appears to be clearing away, revealing the nods and assents.

The shifting sands of political fortunes in Islamabad have taken a critical turn as the government tries to find its feet by compromising on things it prized as evidence of its honesty and integrity.  To save his government from fizzling out, the prime minister has finally agreed to replace Usman Buzdar.

However, political observers believe that there is still a lot to be done to make Elahi the new chief minister as the government faces another daunting task to woo its disgruntled provincial lawmakers, who are already divided into at least two factions – Jahangir Khan Tareen and Aleem Khan group.

The next task

After taking his resignation from Buzdar and lending support to Elahi for the chief ministership, PM directed his party members to persuade MQM-P - the government’s coalition partner in Sindh with seven seats in the assembly – as part of its last-ditch efforts.

Sources said that the government is even ready to offer governorship or another ministry to MQM-P just to keep the ally in its fold.