Should Imran Khan Not Reconsider His Policies?

Finally, the notification for the opposition leader in the National Assembly has been issued according to which the PPP`s leader Mr. Khursheed Shah would be the Opposition Leader. This post had become quite interesting as to which party would succeed to get its member elected on it. All the eyes were on this position especially because of the PTI`s chairman Imran Khan being the expected candidate for it. But, unfortunately, he could not make it.

As per the party position in the National Assembly, PPP has the largest number of members sitting on the opposition benches, i.e., 40. PTI is on the 2nd position with 35 seats and MQM has the 3^rd highest number of MNA`s in the national Assembly, i.e., 23. Accordingly, whichever party got the MQM`s support, would easily come into the position to occupy the post of the leader of the opposition.

As per the political analysts, it was quite apparent that MQM, considering its bitter experience with PPP, would not be in a mood to support the PPP candidate. Then, the 2^nd option available for MQM was PTI whose imminent candidate was its chairman. However taking into account the policy it had adopted towards MQM, it was very difficult for PTI to go to MQM`s door to seek its support. Therefore, in the prevailing scenario, whether MQM remained neutral or decided to support PPP, the possibility of the victory of the PPP`s candidate had to automatically increase.

Before the elections day, i.e., May 11, 2013, there had been very positive gesture from MQM and its leadership towards PTI. Whether it was the historic public gathering in Lahore or Karachi, MQM`s leader Altaf Hussain had warmly congratulated Imran Khan. It was surely a big moral support from MQM to PTI in the scenario where all the other parties were considering PTI as a big threat for their political future. Not only that, but also MQM`s Quaid immediately stopped his address to the MQM`s three public gatherings and cancelled the gatherings just by receiving the sad news that IK`s had fallen from the lifter. He also sent his representatives to the hospital with best wishes for the PTI`s chairman.

However, PTI did not ever consider giving a reciprocal gesture to MQM. Especially on the issue of NA-250, PTI targeted MQM more than the Election Commission which was mainly responsible of the trouble caused to the voters there. On top of it, declaring MQM`s chief Altaf Hussain liable for the murder of PTI senior worker removed all the one-sidedly developed congenial atmosphere between MQM and PTI. Frankly speaking, considering all this, should Imran Khan and his party PTI have expected anymore to be mutually elected as the leader of the opposition in the national assembly?

It is also important to bear in mind that before the elections, IK had been refusing to accept PML-N as the genuine opposition arguing that it could not deserve to be called the genuine opposition as it is also a ruling party in Punjab. Now, the question is, could PTI be called the genuine opposition in the national assembly as it had also become a ruling party and had formed its government in KPK? Consequently, did Imran Khan deserve to contest for the post of the leader of the opposition?       

Anyway, according to the political analysts, PTI wanted to see its chairman the leader of the opposition so as to give a tough time to the ruling party. In the same context, Sheikh Rasheed, newly elected MNA with the support of PTI, tried to convince MQM leadership to vote for IK, but he could not provide the assurance to MQM that IK would make the clarification regarding his allegation on its chief. In this case, how could MQM leadership have unnecessarily decided to politically support “Kaptan” when he had not invited it? As a consequence, MQM became neutral regarding the post of the opposition leader and, thus, PPP`s Khursheed Shah was declared the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

After facing very disappointed results in the elections 2013, it was another setback for PTI and its chairman. Now, even from the opposition benches, they would not be in a position to raise their voice in the way they wanted. This is the point of concern not only for Imran Khan, but also for PTI as a political party. They need to reconsider their policy. They will have to accept the ground reality that other parties also have the public support and the elected legislators who will be playing their roles in the assemblies as well. Therefore, if PTI really believes in the democracy and wants to work for the welfare of the common people in a better way, it will have from congenial relationship with them by putting all its political differences aside. Otherwise, PTI could become the biggest victim of the people`s disappointment that will not help “Kaptan” in the next elections at all.