A blessing in disguise for PPP

With almost all the odds stacked in their favor and with little to lose, the canal issue is turning into a blessing in disguise for the PPP as the controversy is helping the party to reconnect with its core support base, affording it the opportunity to establish an independent position in the government, said two PPP leaders.

Now that the PPP has refused to relent in its demand for shelving the controversial canals project, threatening to even withdraw its support from the government, the ruling PML-N is realizing the bitter consequence of this standoff and on Sunday it finally decided to take a political route, offering PPP led Sindh government to resolve the issue via dialogue.

This offer for dialogue was seemingly made on the instruction of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who has advised his party to take their ally into confidence.

Prior to this intervention, some PML-N leaders were seen taking public jibes at the PPP, with some calling it an intra-party battle while others calling the PPP's position on canal issue a battle for its political survival in Sindh. A senior PPP leader admitted that they were a bit late to respond on the canal controversy, allowing local level leaders in Sindh to get a jump start on the issue.

However, he said, anyone claiming that the PPP is threatened by these political entities is completely ignorant about the ground reality in Sindh. He said the PPP could not have reacted in the impulsive manner as these local players did as it is a key ally of the government.

"The PPP wouldn't have taken any hardline, if government ministers had shown any maturity," he said.

He said irrespective of how the situation transpired, it was a blessing in disguise for the PPP. He said the PML-N, or those behind it, are fully aware that the PPP can bring this system down in a heartbeat.

He said the only glue, especially in testing times, holding this alliance together—the establishment— cannot at least in this matter browbeat the PPP to have it their way.

"They will have to make some allowances. Allowing this project to proceed potentially could endanger the PPP's grip on Sindh, so any amount of threat would not force it to surrender on the issue."

He said with their numerical strength in the National Assembly and with their politics at stake in Sindh, neither the PML-N nor the establishment can do anything to make the PPP change its mind. "The PPP will go all the way with this battle, even if it means quitting this government," he added.

He said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, are on the same page on this issue. Zardari's stature does not allow him to make the kind of hard hitting speeches as Bilawal, but they are of the same mind on this matter at least," he said. He, however, reiterated his party's position that they do not want to destabilize the government and hope that the PML-N will come to its senses.

Another well-placed leader said they see foul play behind the media coverage of rallies in Sindh by the local level leaders. He said a perception was created that the PPP would have been okay with this project, if opposing voices in interior Sindh had not emerged.

He said there is no denying that the PPP took its time to access this situation and that it is a fact that the PPP had to switch gears in the province to counter those emerging voices but to claim that the PPP would have allowed this exploitation of resources of its people is a perception that is being created to harm it politically.

He said it initially was a challenge as opposing the canal meant opposing the establishment, but they have—courtesy the PML-N—turned it into an opportunity that they are cashing on.

He said that with Bilawal taking center stage on the issue, Sindh is witnessing another Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in making. He said exploitation of resources is a touchy subject for three smaller provinces and for Sindh water is a high sensitive issue.

He said the PML-N's politics is at stake as it will be the biggest loser if its government is sent packing.

"The establishment is known for changing horses in midstream, and in this scenario replacement is already waiting in the wing. The PPP has Sindh. What does the PML-N have other than 'holy blessings'. So before they mock us they should look inwards to know their own worth," he added.