When the year 2015 began, confrontation between the ruling PML-N and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was at its peak. But the year ended with serious tensions between the federal government and the PPP, which rules Sindh, over the question of powers of the Rangers involved in carrying out operation in Karachi for more than 27 months.
The federal government has extended the stay of the Rangers with the powers they enjoyed before, a move unacceptable to the PPP leadership. PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari likened the centre’s move to the invasion of Sindh and said in case the Sindh government’s point of view was not accommodated the country may land in political quagmire. Both sides substantiate their respective stands by various articles of the Constitution, which clearly reflects the inadequacy of the basic law to deal with such situations.
Rangers in Karachi
The PPP stands isolated on this issue as no other party, not even the MQM, supports its call for clipping the wings of the paramilitary force. At the time of our going to the press the prime minister was personally trying to defuse the tensions. However, the impact of his efforts would be clear in the days and weeks ahead.
The year was quite eventful. The government was much weakened at the start of the year 2015 because of the PTI-PAT’s sit-in in Islamabad, longest ever in history. Though the government survived because of Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s ‘no’ to the PTI-PAT’s joint demand for the resignation of the prime minister, the military is believed to have assumed the control of matters concerning foreign affairs and defence. The informal arrangement continued during the year, and there are no signs that the authority would go back to the civilian leadership.
Local bodies elections in all provinces, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s derogatory remarks against the army generals, after which he took flight to UAE, his confidant Dr Asim Hussain’s arrest on multiple charges and startling confessions during investigations, differences between the civil and military leadership over the federal government’s failure to take complimentary steps to make the army operation against terrorism a success are some other highlights of the outgoing year.
Dr. Asim outside the SHC
Electoral battles between the PML-N and the PTI in NA-122 (Lahore) and NA-154 (Lodhran), Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal in SGS-Cotecna reference because of the NAB’s failure to produce original records in the trial court, registration of a number of cases against MQM chief Altaf Hussain and a ban on his media coverage because of his remarks against military leadership, and separation of Imran Khan and Reham Khan after a 10-month marriage are some other developments witnessed during 2015.
A November meeting of Corps Commanders "underlined the need for matching/complimentary governance initiatives for long-term gains of operation and enduring peace across the country".
This was a clear indication that the military was not satisfied with the steps taken by the political government. The government came up with a tit-for-tat statement, saying the success of the operation was a shared responsibility.
The statements raised political temperature in the country. The matter was also debated in parliament where political parties stood divided. Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said if the Constitution was supreme, both the Sharifs should be on the same page. But if they were not, “I’ll be on the side of the civilian Sharif”, he said in a clear reference to the prime minister.
Since then there is silence from both sides, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that civil-military relations are normal. Gen Raheel will serve out his three-year term in November 2016 and the government is eagerly waiting for the day when it will bring in a new COAS.
The local bodies elections showed that all political parties have support in certain regions and there is no party which can claim to be national. The PL-N is confined to Punjab, PTI to KP, PPP/MQM to Sindh and a three-party coalition (comprising PML-N, National Party and PkMAP) that held the local polls emerged victorious in Balochistan. The presence of each party in any other province is negligible, which is not a good sign, especially because the same pattern is seen in the national elections. Independents have emerged as a force to reckon with, an indication that a large number of people have no liking for any party.
The PTI has made its presence felt in some areas outside the KP, but it is premature to say whether it will really emerge as a national party in the next general elections.
The PPP had to face new challenges during the outgoing year. At a function, Mr Asif Ali Zardari lashed out at the military generals and said they have to stay for three years while “we have to live forever”. He was referring to the three-year term an army chief is appointed for. But when the party assessed the damage caused by this statement, its leaders started offering clarifications and interpretations. That Mr Zardari had previous army chiefs in mind, not the incumbent one, said one of them.
Since that statement the PPP co-chairman has been staying in UAE and the Rangers are carrying out an operation in Karachi. His right hand man – Dr Asim has been arrested and he is reported to have made a number of confessions, although he denies he made any. Unless his fate is decided, it is difficult to say that the former president will return to Pakistan.
A PPP meeting being held in Dubai
Some media reports said that Mr Zardari visited Saudi Arabia to seek Saudi support for his return to Pakistan. The kingdom is reported to have refused to play any role in the internal affairs of Pakistan. But PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira claims that Mr Zardari had gone to KSA only to perform Umra.Zardari did not return to Pakistan even when senior leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim and and on the death anniversary of his wife Benazir Bhutto on December 27.