WITH the passage of SBP (Amendment) Bill 2021 by the Upper House of Parliament, the last hurdle in the way of release of the next tranche of the IMF programme stands removed which will surely be a source of satisfaction for the government.
Now all prior conditions of the IMF for revival of the programme have been met as the National Assembly has already approved amendments in the finance bill while the Government also fulfilled conditions with respect to increase in electricity tariff.
The woes of the Government have been mitigated on this account but as a consequence of the harsh measures approved by Parliament and imposed by the Government, the sufferings of the people would increase.
There seems to be no letup in the upward trend in prices of almost all items and services as helplessness has also been expressed both by the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister on the issue of checking the rising inflation.
The Government can also derive satisfaction from the fact that the Opposition continued to be in disarray, which meant it posed no serious threat to the ruling party.
Going by the fact that the Opposition enjoyed a comfortable numerical edge in the Senate, the passage of SBP Bill with majority conveys a clear message that the Government has firm grip on power while the Opposition is devoid of real unity and strength.
This is because the absence of the Leader of the Opposition in the House – PPP’s Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and other opposition Senators provided a free hand to the treasury benches to get the crucial piece of law adopted by the Upper House.
This also explains why the PDM, in its latest meeting, did not approve the strategy of no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister with PML(N) stalwart Shahid Khaqan Abbasid pointing out that such a move would be considered when the Opposition is hundred percent sure of its numerical majority in Parliament.
The PPP and some other Senators behaved in the same manner as they did on the occasion of no-confidence against Chairman Senate and election of the Leader of the House and this would widen the gulf of mistrust between the PDM and the PPP.
There is also a perception among the other opposition parties that the PPP leadership was in contact with the powers that be and it cannot be trusted on issues like tabling of no-confidence motion.
Friday’s development would have serious repercussions for plans of the Opposition to launch a united campaign against the Government both inside and outside Parliament.
