ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) have united against the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf amid government-opposition confrontation.

Over the weekend, President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent to a new law that significantly regulates public gatherings in Islamabad, marking a major shift in the way political assemblies and protests can be organized in the capital. This comes after a recent phase of tension between the two allies. The bill, now formalized as the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024,” was signed just ahead of the PTI’s September 8 rally, underscoring the urgency of addressing public order concerns.

The law stipulates that all public assemblies in Islamabad must take place in designated venues, with Sangjani being identified as the primary location. The government retains the authority to designate other areas for such events via official notifications. Any gathering held without formal permission will now result in severe legal consequences.

Organizing or participating in an unauthorized assembly could lead to imprisonment for up to three years for a first offense, while a repeat violation carries the significantly harsher penalty of 10 years in prison. In parallel to the enactment of this law, political cooperation between the PPP and the PML-N has strengthened. Leaders from both parties met in Lahore earlier to discuss ongoing power-sharing arrangements and strategies for future governance. This meeting, involving senior PPP Hasan Murtaza, Nadeem Afzal Chan, and Ali Haider Gilani, and PML-N’s Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, further cemented the working relationship between the two parties.

The PPP leadership expressed appreciation for Maryam Nawaz’s developmental efforts in Punjab and reiterated their commitment to continued political collaboration. Key areas of focus included providing solar energy solutions to the public, addressing climate change, improving law and order, and advancing the information technology sector.

During the meeting, PPP’s Ali Haider Gilani emphasized that overcoming political and administrative challenges would be crucial to ensuring that the coalition government delivers tangible benefits to the public.

Maryam Aurangzeb, a senior Punjab minister representing the PML-N, affirmed the coalition’s commitment to maintaining a united front, while Hasan Murtaza highlighted that despite occasional differences of opinion, both the parties are firmly aligned on their goal of resolving public issues collaboratively. The introduction of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024 has wide-reaching implications for political dynamics in Islamabad. It places significant constraints on the organization of protests and political rallies, offering the government extensive control over public gatherings.

This could impact the frequency and nature of demonstrations in the capital, especially for opposition parties like PTI, which are known for their reliance on mass mobilization.

The continued political cooperation between PML-N and PPP signals a broader alignment between the two major parties, especially on issues of governance and public welfare. This partnership, bolstered by shared policy goals, appears set to play a key role in shaping the future political landscape of Pakistan.

The renewed closeness comes after tensions which were sorted out during a meeting of Prime Minister Shehbaz Shareif and PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.