K-P’s opposition: Lack of urgency gives PTI leeway to remain in Islamabad

At JUI-F-convened APC, parties rejected the idea of giving PTI a taste of its own medicine.

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government must have collectively sighed with relief after opposition parties made it clear a day earlier that they do not plan to engage in any unconstitutional step against it.

Opposition parties attending the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) convened all parties conference (APC) on Saturday said although they denounced the demand for the prime minister’s resignation, they have no intention of employing similar tactics against the PTI’s provincial setup.

After PTI’s Azadi march in Islamabad kicked off, the opposition in the K-P Assembly submitted a no-confidence motion against CM Pervez Khattak on August 19. However, the opposition has so far shied away from submitting a requisition, calling for an assembly session.

The K-P government’s top brass has enthusiastically been participating in the Islamabad sit-in since the past three weeks and is in no hurry to call a session.

Responding to a question after the APC on Saturday, JUI-F provincial amir Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan categorically rejected the notion of agitation against the K-P government. Naseeb said they will not use non-political and unconstitutional tactics. “We will continue to pursue political solutions to all issues,” Naseeb added.

This joint declaration from the bigwigs of almost all major political parties of the province is likely to provide some breathing room for the PTI-led government to concentrate fully on the Islamabad protest.

PML-N in K-P

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, a part of the opposition in the province and the party of the governor, could have been expected to give a tough time to PTI in K-P. However, the provincial chapter of PML-N has remained contained, refraining from more than the occasional ruffling of feathers.

PML-N provincial president Pir Sabir Shah also ruled out any kind of adventurism on part of his party on Saturday. He said all political parties of the country agree with PML-N’s stance.

“PML-N will not take any decision on its own, separate from other political forces,” he said. Shah added every step will be taken after consultation with other parties. “We will not damage national consensus,” reiterated Shah.

Keeping it on the down low

Following JUI-F’s rally on August 31 in Khyber Bazaar, not a single party has held a protest against PTI.

Earlier the opposition had kept the government on its toes by requisitioning assembly sessions on different issues. This time, it seems unlikely that they will trouble the provincial government by calling an assembly session to question their conduct.

Though ANP provincial president Amir Haider Khan said the absence of Khattak will impact the administrative machinery, he did no more other than to politely ask the PTI chairman to send the CM and his cabinet back from the sit-in, so they can concentrate on their official duties.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2014.