Is PML-N making a blunder?

This was a very surprising news piece that the PML-N leader from Sindh Mr. Ghous Ali Shah met the head of PAC Uzair Jan Baloch and invited him to be a part of PML-N. Nobody would have ever expected that any PML-N leader would someday think of inviting most wanted person of a banned outfit to join his party.

PML-N is not a pressure group in the Pakistani politics. In fact, it is the second biggest political party of the country that has not only its opposition leaders in the National Assembly and in the Senate, but it is also administratively ruling over the biggest province of the country. It is the party whose president has become the Prime Minister two times as well. So, taking into account these facts, can it be expected from its matured leadership to decide to invite a banned group to join it?

In the scenario when the police had requested the Sindh government to fix the head money for Uzair Jan and Habib Jab Baloch, Ghos Ali Shah`s meeting with them gave a big surprise to the people all over the country. It looked to be making no sense for a political party to be in a mood to invite the most controversial elements in it.

We are very well aware that after the Supreme Court`s verdict in respect of the contempt of court case, PML-N leadership has been having a very hostile attitude against the PM Gilani and has refused to accept him as the PM any more. In this situation, would it be easy for the PML-N to defend itself on supporting an officially banned outfit (PAC)??

Similarly, when the PML-N leaders criticize the coalition partners to keep sitting with the PM Gillani even after the court`s verdict, then would these allied parties not target PML-N in return on forming political relationship with the group banned?

Not only having a meeting with these people, even there are media reports that PML-N is about to hold a big public gathering in Liyari with the support of the same controversial elements and, perhaps, the Marvi Memon`s presence in the “Love Sindh” rally along with Uzair Baloch might be considered as a rehearsal of the same. Why is the PML-N leadership doing that? If it wants to give tough time to PPP in Liyari, is it the right way to do this?

If PML-N is of the view that all the charges against PAC and its leaders were made on the political grounds, should it not require this group to get a clean chit from the courts before taking part in the politics? Moreover, if PML-N forms any sort of alliance with the PAC, would it be justified any way to demand the PPP`s Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and the PM to resign and face all the allegations of corruption on the moral grounds? Would it not lose the weight in its all such demands from the government?

On top of it, the PML-N leadership cannot ignore the fact that its biggest political rival especially in Karachi is MQM whom it has been criticizing on the same grounds for which PAC was banned. Not speaking of the cases on the members and leaders of PAC, it would be very difficult for the PML-N leadership to defend recent militant resistance against the Liyari operation from the PAC. But, if, somehow, it tries to adjust it, then how would it compete with MQM in the upcoming elections? The history tells that MQM cannot be politically defeated by any political party or alliance except by way of distorting its image before the people. That is the only tactic that all its rivals have been following since the day first. Considering this, how would PML-N succeed in doing by supporting the PAC? 

Politically speaking, PML-N has no match with PAC at all in the Pakistani politics. It is considered a national party that has been taking stands on almost every national issue. Neither the political analysts nor its own voters can expect from it to take such an immature step. Such hasty steps are making general people realize that, perhaps, PML-N is just following the policy of “Enemy`s enemy is of our friends” against PPP.

Therefore, the PML-N top leadership will have to revisit its relationship with the PAC and will need to take some immediate steps to counter this negative impression so that the people still supporting the democratic system in the country can be satisfied and can see that the democratic parties never violate the rules of the game despite how sever disagreements they are having among each other.