Salahuddin Haider
INCREDIBLE could not be a better and apt description than that. Thick in the woods, facing opposition onslaught, sitting on the edge with the loss of four Baluchistan National Party members support of Akhtar Mengal, and yet the end result is in favour of the Prime Minister. Real surprise but it did happen.
The 19-vote victory, with a final tally of 160-141 at the time of passing the budget for 2020-2021 fiscal in the National Assembly, proved the time-honoured maxim of luck favours the brave, Imran Khan coming out triumphant.
It was a surprise voting pattern with PPP and PML (N) members siding with the government. That was a real surprise. How and why did it happen, is mystery at the moment, but the story would soon unfold. During the debate on the budgetary proposals, atleast half a dozen treasury benchers were critical of the government, unhappy over the sudden rise of Rs 25 on petrol prices, just three days ago, and it was clear later that 31 of the PTI and allied party members seemed unhappy. In fact the premier’s dinner a night before for parliamentary party did the job perhaps.
The dinner was a master stroke and could only be expected from a fighter, not afraid to taste defeats, and but keeps trying for a win and getting it at last. The Tehreek Insaf chief met the 31 disgruntled MNAs , 14 of PTI, and the rest from ruling alliance, just a day after the passage of the finance Bill, which the President consented on June 30 under article 57 of the Constitution, listened to their grievances , and promised to address them. Shortly before the dinner at the prime minister’s house, Khan had met separately delegations from MQM, and GDA of Pir Pagara.
They all had their problems, looked dissatisfied like the Chauduries of Q leaguefrom Gujrat,. But unlike Akhtar Mengal who stood his ground stubbornly, all others knew that their fate too was linked with that of PTI, else the boat will hit the rock and sink. Though Chahdhury Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahie did not show up, the die-hard Baluchi leader Shahzain Bugti, who Bilawal and others had tried to woo their side, changed his mind in the end, and came to the dinner to show solidarity the ruling alliance. Even Chaudhries did not oppose Imran. They merely said that they had previous commitment, while the Premier’s invitation came from out of the blue.
It was difficult for them to change schedules. The explanation obviously looked satisfying in the end. This in itself was no minor success for the political drama had begun to look like a swinging pendulum, but Imran knew very well how to handle and turned the tide. After all he had been a classy sportsman, unafraid of defeats, and a fighter all the way. How could he give up so easily. He tried his best and success began to smile on him. The way Imran played his hand, the vociferous demand from Bilawal Bhutto, Khawaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for his resignation sunk deep in disappointment.
Imran waved the sign of victory with his party parliamentarians, jubilant and joyous for the victory, which awaited them on the fateful day.Their voices muzzled in the end and they shifted the entire blame on the speaker Asad Qaiser, which was a bit too much.
