There is little that the opposition and the government can agree to these days. Every issue portends another barrage of point scoring against one another. The PDM jalsas have now become the main bone of contention where the government points to the pandemic as a reason to hold off on public gatherings and the opposition contends that that the ruling party is only using coronavirus as an excuse to suppress voices against its rule. Both have valid points.
This is why Shehbaz Sharif’s call for national dialogue and reconciliation between political parties across the spectrum is one that should be taken seriously. There is little in the way of any agreement, and what that does is take away from actual governance. The opposition is always bent on castigating the government, while the treasury benches are quick to dismiss any productive ideas from the opposing side as political statements.
In the current political scenario, there is no room for compromise, no middle ground. The polarisation is too stark. This must change. The Multan rally has made it apparent that sides will stick to their guns; the blockages by the government and bullish response of PDM all but confirms this.
Across the world, political leaders engage with one another no matter how vast their differences—for the good of the general public. This is something that parties here must look to do as well. If the former CM is truly committed to standing by his words, his party and others in the alliance must first step back from their rally schedule—this is needed for the welfare of the public. They must then look to cooperate with the government on controlling the pandemic, finding solutions to revive the floundering economy and attempt to stabilise Pakistan’s position in a very tumultuous region. The government must look to step back from its tactic of consistently painting the opposition as a villainous entity. The ruling party must also be willing to listen to legitimate grievances where possible. Cooperation will soon follow if both sides actually want it.
