THE National Awami Party (ANP) has formally parted ways with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in protest against the issuance of a show-cause notice.
A similar notice has also been issued to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), another component party of the PDM, and there are clear indications that it too would follow the suit, blowing death knell to the Alliance.
Show-cause or no show-cause, the destiny of the opposition alliance was already sealed due to visible and invisible differences among the constituent parties especially PPP vs other parties.
There is not an iota of doubt in the minds of even neutral observers that PPP and ANP violated the collective decision of the Alliance in respect of distribution of Senate offices among different parties of the PDM.
Instead of supporting the nominee of PML(N), PPP not only nominated its own candidate for the office of the leader of the opposition in the Senate but entered into a secret deal to enlist support of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a coalition partner of ruling PTI.
There was also a feeling among PDM that PPP dictated its terms in the Alliance and used the platform to squeeze maximum benefits without losing anything.
It opposed the option of resignations from the assemblies, signalling its unwillingness to sacrifice its Sindh Government as analysts predicted that the party would not gain more than what it has now in case of fresh elections.
PDM was formed solely for the purpose of dislodging the PTI Government and it was unlikely to turn into an election alliance in view of glaring contradictions and rivalries between PPP and PML(N).
At the most, the two major component parties of the alliance would enter into alliances or arrangements for electoral adjustments with other parties and there are already indications in which direction the two parties are likely to proceed.
PPP has secured support of ANP and also JI prompting observers to predict that the three parties might collaborate during next elections in KP whereas the party can improve its chances in Balochistan with the help of BAP.
Barring something highly unusual, there are possibilities that PML(N), JUI(F) and some other opposition parties might reach some sort of electoral understanding.
PDM was a potent force and the entire politics of the country centred around the alliance ever since its inception in September 2020 and, therefore, its demise comes as a great relief to the ruling PTI, which now will have no excuse not to deliver (on please of distractions).
