IN an appreciable move, Prime Minister Imran Khan is reported to have rejected the summary so hurriedly moved by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad for imposition of Governor’s rule in Sindh.
This has also been confirmed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, one of the senior members of the ruling party, who made it clear that the federal government had no intention to impose the Governor’s rule, in retaliation to what is going on in Sindh House in Islamabad.
The threat to impose the Governor’s rule was surely one of the pressure tactics that the two sides are using in the prevailing political scenario but the proposition was fraught with serious consequences as the PPP leaders and workers conveyed loudly that they would not accept it as fait accompli.
The wise decision of the Prime Minister has helped defuse a serious constitutional crisis with far-reaching implications for the already charged political atmosphere and, therefore, must be appreciated by all.
However, there are several other moves and developments that are polluting the overall environment and sanity demands both the Government and the Opposition should review their strategies to avoid any untoward situation.
The storming of Sindh House by a group of PTI workers led by two sitting Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) was highly unfortunate as it refreshed bitter memories of a similar attack on the Parliament House, PM House and the PTV Headquarters in 2014.
The Interior Minister regretted the incident, adding it should not have happened besides ordering the police to arrest the trouble-makers, whose leaders were instantly released by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill.
PTI is conveying an impression that the group’s attack was an instant reaction of the party workers against horse-trading and turn-coats but the very fact that the attackers reached Sindh House with much ease and Islamabad Administration including police watched the situation silently, conveys a different impression.
It is intriguing that police did not respond to the situation despite the airing of news by national media and the developing law and order situation in the most sensitive area of the capital.
PPP leadership has sharply reacted to the incident with Chairman of the party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pointing out that Sindh House is a symbol of Sindh in the Federal Capital and attack on this symbol is attack on Sindh.
The incident also exposed claims about the presence of 300 to 400 personnel of Sindh Police to provide security to the dissidents of the ruling party.
Similar protests were also held in native places of some of the dissidents but the situation remained under control.
What people witnessed on Friday in Islamabad (attack on Sindh House) is, in fact, trailer of the brewing tension and possible confrontation if the Government and the Opposition persist with their plans to bring their supporters to D-Chowk on the eve of the voting on the motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister.
According to the revised schedule of the long march issued by the PDM, their rallies would enter Islamabad on March 27, the day the Government has announced to bring ‘one million’ people to D-Chowk and therefore, one could imagine the risks of a possible showdown.
It is in this context that the veteran politician and leader of PML(Q) Ch.
Shujaat Hussain, while strongly rebutting allegations of horse-trading in relation to the process of vote of no-confidence, has once again urged the Government and the Opposition to review their plans for staging rallies as “everyone would regret if any one dies or gets killed”.
This is mature counselling and should be taken as such by the two sides if they truly believe in democratic traditions and care about interests of the country.
However, the extra-careful attitude and posture adopted by the coalition partners of the government is also adding to the on-going confusion and uncertainty.
One can understand sentiments of Ch.
Shujaat Hussain but why his party is not taking a firm and clear stance to help stabilize the situation.
The Government is also planning to file a presidential reference in the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution on Monday (March 21), which is a legal recourse but the move should not be used as a shield to delay the process of no-confidence motion in the National Assembly as such a violation of the constitutional provisions could spark angry reaction from the opposition parties.
