THE new announcement by the Asian nation Democratic Movement PDM that it’ll participate within the future by-polls may be a promising indicator of its members’ ability to indicate flexibility for the sake of the alliance — and a symptom that the govt. mustn’t take the PDM threat gently.
That the 11-party alliance can contest the by-elections on 2 National Assembly seats and 6 provincial assembly seats despite a number of the members expressing reservations earlier shows that, whereas variations of opinion exist on some key problems, the PDM has the resolve to remain along and act its opposition to the govt.
The variations are obvious. Maulana Fazlur Rehman may be a conservative with nothing to lose; Maryam Nawaz is reeling from the govt. The onslaught on her family and party; and therefore the surgical operation is hedging its bets.
however, the common goal, as proven by the PDM chairman’s speech on Friday, is that these parties can now not tolerate the interference of the safety institution in matters of civilian governance. whereas the varied members of the alliance use words of varying degrees of severity once speaking of this alleged meddling — the messages being sent to each the govt. and security institution is from one stage and platform.
The PDM has many hurdles to beat and significant problems to resolve within the coming back days — resignations and therefore the Senate elections being the key challenges — and its future is going to be determined by the alliance’s ability to agree in a very politically unsure atmosphere. however, the movement’s common goal to this point has been a unifying issue.
If the alliance manages to remain along and move forward even with the approaching challenges, the govt. and therefore the security institution should not take their demands and warnings gently. The vulnerable long march, if it materialises, will trigger a season of dread.
it was not too way back that the country, particularly the voters and administration within the capital, were each fixated with and paralysed by Mr Khan’s anti-government dharna. though his key demands weren’t met and therefore the dharna was eventually referred to as off, the prolonged civil disobedience created governance and security a large challenge. The political uncertainty was palpable and its effects on the economy still because the message to the international community was important.
A PDM-led long march, given the number of member parties and therefore the size of their rallies to this point, are going to be a thorn within the government’s facet. looking on what quite a power show the alliance will accomplish and the way long it’ll be sustained for, it’s not too early to trust that facet can prevail.
For Mr Khan to suppose this is often progressing to fizzle and flee is naive. during this atmosphere, the govt. should finish its vanity associated replicate on the fallout of a future crisis. Dialogue may be a wise next step.
