PML-N considering quitting the National Assembly

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is said to be deliberating on mass resignation from the National Assembly, a move that can immensely compound the problems and challenges facing the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) federal government.

While the Senate Elections are around the corner, scheduled to be in March 2012, the PML-N has upped the ante against the government. The PML-N had previously started the ‘Go Zardari’ movement to what it claimed was an effort to rid the country of ‘corruption’
and ‘corrupt government’.

That movement, instead of seeing any momentum, seemed to have waned, if not completely died down due to the sudden rise of Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf in Punjab. Imran Khan staged a big rally on 30^th October in Lahore, attended by thousands, which
clearly upset the PML-N.

While the party leadership came forward angrily and accused the establishment of creating ‘puppet parties’ to divide ‘established parties’, the hawks in PML-N wants to go beyond criticism and doing something practical to dislodge the PPP government first
in order to grapple with the rising PTI.

PML-N does not hide its exasperation against the PPP when it comes to PTI. Although the ‘establishment’ is blamed by the PML-N for the covert support to the PTI, it also accused the government of being in cohorts with Imran Khan to divide and weaken the
PML-N.

It is in this context that the senior leader of PML-N and the MNA Khwaja Asif hinted at quitting the National Assembly. He went ahead and said any decision in this effect may come within two months – a time period that falls before the Senate Elections.

Asif is considered to be close to Nawaz Sharif and his viewpoints are seriously considered by the PML-N. Although Nawaz Sharif himself has tried to moderate his stance on many occasions, he is finally seemed to have been persuaded to toughen his position
against the PPP government.

It is reported that ‘option to submit en masse resignation from the National Assembly was thoroughly debated at a number of meetings presided over by Mr Sharif’, the timing – however, is significant.

If the PML-N chooses to go for this path, what can be foreseen is increased trouble for the PPP government. But having made too many manoeuvres for survival since it took the reins of power in 2008, the PPP probably knows best – and has prepared itself,
how to deal with this challenge.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=3687

Posted by Sajjad Hussain on Nov 16 2011. Filed under Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry