Conciliation outside Parliament

ISLAMABAD - Contrary to the predictions of change, in-house or otherwise, after withdrawal of JUI-F from the ruling coalition, parliamentarians view current political heat as forehand manoeuvring for local bodies polls ahead if not for the next general elections. In these alignments and realignments for future political portrayal of the country, the former ruling party namely PML-Q appeared to have been moving quite skilfully by now. By utilising minimum of its political clout, it looks like gaining maximum of mileage. Despite being inflected of one forward bloc called PML-Q Likeminded, the third largest parliamentary force has continued increasing its political options ranging from the ruling coalition leader PPP to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of former cricketer Imran Khan. Since the mainstay of PML-Q is Punjab, notwithstanding the partys vote bank in other provinces, they have located their prospective political ally having base in the same province.Imran Khan might have to go a long way to become a political party of countrywide representation as his party holds reasonable ground in major cities of Punjab. A variety of parliamentarians consulted for background interview and discussions were of the unanimous view that the conciliations outside the Parliament were quite meaningful at this juncture of time. Based on current political dispensation as well as emerging scenario, they observed that ruling out potential of any political entity, be that inside the Parliament or outside it, would not be advisable at present. According to well-placed political sources, in case the PML-Q and the PTI forms a political alliance in Punjab even, they could give a tough time to the PML-N, the currently ruling party in the largest province of the country. The sources were of view that the PPPs inability to forego its strongholds in Punjab in favour of PML-Q has forced the latter to revisit its future political options looking beyond the incumbent ruling dispensation. Although the ruling PPP has once again vowed to continue with its policy of so-called reconciliation, it appeared to have confined itself to a so-called honeymoon with the PML-N. Therefore, the sources added, the spirit of charter of democracy between the two would last till the next general elections at least if not beyond.