THERE was a lot of uncertainty on the political front in the country following reports that the allies are not at all happy with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government for failing to live up to its commitments. Finally the ruling party has managed to woo the estranged ally – the PML-Q – the support of which is critical for the PTI to keep its government intact both at the Centre and the Punjab province.
The fact of the matter is that the PML-Q, comprising seasoned and experienced leaders such as Ch Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi, has always shown flexibility and maturity in its conduct in the best national interest. The Chaudhrys are known for their political acumen and farsightedness and one can never expect anything from them that undermines the political and democratic setup in the country. In fact the differences would not have emerged between the PTI and the PM-Q, if the former would have maintained close contacts with the top leadership of its most important ally and respected the commitments made with it. Anyway, as the matter stands resolved now, we expect that the ruling PTI in future will not only take on board but also take benefit from the experience of the Chaudhrys on important matters to address the problems faced by the masses in an effective manner. After talks with the government’s team, PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi made his intentions very clear that his party wanted partnership with the PTI to continue till the next general election, adding that every government has to face challenges and the PML-Q would stand by the ruling party to surmount these challenges. These very words would definitely have disappointed those who wanted to exploit cracks in the present set-up to further their personal agenda. However, it is also important for the PTI to work closely with all its allies so that such kind of situation does not recur. The country is already beset with serious economic challenges with people bearing the brunt of inflation. Only a strong government can surely move forward to address them and the PTI leadership needs to work towards putting its own house in order before it is too late.
