AFTER Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad predicted that Prime Minister Imran Khan would destroy the no-trust move with his political drone, the PM took two important initiatives, which have clearly strengthened his position in the given situation.
The Prime Minister wisely announced an economic relief package that has widely been hailed by the people and in another development he visited the Chaudhry of Gujrat in Lahore and was able to muster their unequivocal support in foiling plans of the opposition.
The firm expression of support by the major ally of the Government must be a source of consolation for the Prime Minister and his party colleagues as there was some confusion as to what posture the Chaudhry would adopt in the backdrop of a series of high profile meetings with leaders of different opposition political parties.
The support of PML(Q) is in line with the assurance given by Federal Minister Moonis Elahi who told the Prime Minister during his address to an international symposium in Islamabad that politicians build and maintain relations (in reference to meetings of different political leaders with Chaudhry Shujaat and Ch Pervez Elahi) but ‘we plan to maintain relations with you’.
PMLQ‘s renewed expression of solidarity is also important in the sense that it would send positive signals to other allies of the Government.
This is being seen as a serious setback for efforts of the opposition that is trying hard to meet the numbers game in the National Assembly.
In fact, PML(Q) leadership is politically mature and their support and cogent advice have been a source of course correction.
PML(Q) has all along been urging the ruling party to focus on provision of relief to the people and resolution of their day-to-day problems and the PM has accepted their demand by announcing a comprehensive relief package.
Though Chaudhrys, who are coalition partners at the Centre and in Punjab, have declared that they would swim and drown with the PTI but the political situation would become clear only when the outcome of the Prime Minister’s contacts with Jahangir Tarin become clear.
In the given political scenario and conditions of the country, the no-trust is unlikely to serve the interest of any political player and, therefore, let the Government complete its mandated five years, after which people will have the right to decide its fate on the basis of its actual performance.
