LAHORE - Though it is unclear at this stage whether a joint opposition move against the ruling party can take shape or not but what seems possible is that right-wing opposition parties are likely to come closer to plan a combined anti-government drive focusing on different issues.
In the first round, PAT, Dr Tahirul Qadri’s right-wing party, will be holding a sit-in on June 17 to again demand justice for the killings of its activists in Model Town carnage.
A senior PAT leader told The Nation yesterday that June 17 show would end with a Charter of Demand demanding a deadline for justice to the martyrs of Model Town massacre.
Top leadership of Jamaat-i-Islami, Sunni Ittehad Council, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Awami Muslim League would participate in the sit-in. Leaders of PPP and MQM would also join PAT show, he added.
PTI, a mainstream right-wing party is planning to launch an anti-government campaign after Eid following ruling party’s alleged reluctance to reach consensus with opposition on the formation of ToRs for Panama leaks commission.
Imran Khan’s key lieutenant Shah Mehmood Qureshi who had threatened to leave the ToRs committee, had been assigned the task to work on the launch of an anti-government drive after Eid, a close aide of party chairman told the paper.
Mr Khan who developed a trust deficit with Mr Qadri during sit-ins at Islamabad’s D-Chowk for leaving PTI alone in the field during an anti-government move, has politely refused to participate in PAT sit-in next week but he didn’t bar his second-line leadership to join Dr Qadri’s show.
Party leaders on both sides are saying it is the beginning of a new working relationship after the D-Chowk sit-in which can possibly bring the two closer for a joint anti-government drive taking in fold the other right-wing political forces.
“PPP leadership cannot be trusted for a long ride. Imran himself is not ready to trust the PPP completely for a larger anti-government plan which compels the PTI to look for the options of their ideologically likeminded groups,” said PTI senior leaders when asked why they want a right-wing move instead of joint opposition drive against the ruling party.
On the other side, the ruling party which is also a right-winger, has the support of religious right wing forces of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith and others.
It seems that ruling group right-wingers likely to face opposition’s right-wingers soon if the issues of Model Town killings and Panama ToRs are not resolved in near future.
Imran Saturday threatened the government to bring masses to the streets accusing the ruling party of resorting to delaying tactics on the formation of Panama leaks ToRs.
“I will launch another march for the accountability of the corrupt if ruling party keeps on delaying the ToRs matter,” said Mr Khan while talking to media.
“I will bring more than 10 percent of the people to the streets which I think is sufficient to jolt the rulers,” said PTI chief when asked to comment on the expected street power of his new show.
“The ruling party can hold me accountable under the same ToRs under which the prime minister goes through if the commission established, offered Mr Khan.
For the first anti-government show, PAT leadership met with PML-Q senior leader Ch Pervaiz Elahi and invited his party to join Dr Qadri’s sit-in on June 17.
The PML-Q leader, accepting the invitation, said his party raised voice on Model Town tragedy at every platform. Nobody can forget this tragedy, which was a bloody episode of oppression of the ruling party. The families of the martyred must get justice.
Sheikh Rasheed met with PTI chairman to invite him for June 17 sit-in of PAT but Mr Khan politely refused due to personal engagements. However, a team of PTI leaders will join the show.