LAHORE - Opposition parties lack unity, and because of their separate agendas and vested interests have not been able to devise a common strategy to pull the government down.
They are scheduled to attend a conference being hosted by Dr Tahirul Qadri’s PAT on July 31, but it will be a political miracle if they could iron out their differences.
PPP, the major opposition party, seems to be slowly distancing from the anti-government campaign - apparently because a direct confrontation with the PML-N government does not suit the personal interests of party’s top leadership.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, during a party meeting before Eid, directed the party cadres to accelerate its reorganisation drive to launch a massive anti-government campaign.
“We are ready to challenge the Nawaz government on important issues such as Panama leaks,” he said while addressing the party meeting.
But he didn’t give any timeframe – neither for party reorganisation nor for the launch of anti-government drive.
Imran Khan, addressing a party meeting, announced launching an anti-government campaign over Panama leaks from August 7.
PTI chairman said if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not held accountable, no one could be investigated regarding the Panama Papers.
Senior leaders of his party told The Nation there would be a phase-wise campaign under the name of ‘Accountability Drive’, beginning with public rallies.
Opposition parties would follow a joint strategy inside the Parliament but they would launch separate anti-government campaigns.
At the advice of his senior aides Mr Khan has abandoned the idea of blocking Raiwind, at least for now, though party hawks still seek blockade at Raiwind to get international media attention.
The close aides of Imran Khan advised against going for besieging Raiwind without full support of the likeminded opposition parties, which have not bought this idea. The proposal is unacceptable even to the PAT.
PML-Q spokesman Kamil Ali Agha said the opposition parties are not clear about launching a joint campaign against the government. The impression is becoming stronger by each passing day that opposition is not united, he added.
PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is making efforts to unite at least the likeminded parties which desire to play the role of real opposition. For this purpose he has contacted the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen and Sunni Ittehad Council so far.
Besides supporting PTI’s drive, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed - who heads Awami Muslim League - has announced to launch his own campaign over Panama leaks issue by the end of this month.
Jamaat-e-Islami had already launched a countrywide drive of mass awareness about corruption. Altaf Hussain’s MQM is unclear about launching an anti-government drive or joining others.
Senior leaders among the opposition parties who desire a serious anti-government drive foresee no future of separate campaigns against the ruling party. Opposition parties have to move together and form a campaign like Pakistan National Alliance of 1977 to achieve the goals or they would fail, they added.
Admitting lack of steam to pose a serious threat to government, they said indecisive and divisive campaigns would damage all the mainstream political forces in the next general elections.
“We have a golden opportunity at hand in the shape of Panama leaks and loadshedding and if we lose it, we will be providing an opportunity to the ruling party to run over us in the next general polls,” they warned.