Key coalition members of the government reacted strongly to being ‘ignored’ by the PML-N during Monday’s National Assembly sessions. They said that the party had broken pledges made to them prior to the no-confidence vote against the former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Their outrage was considered seriously enough for the prime minister to hastily invite important dignitaries to PM House that evening for supper. He reportedly tried to calm people’s fears and allays concerns over dinner, all the while trying to prevent his allies from deserting him before his effort to stabilise the economy and the political system was finished.
It’s simpler stated than done. It appears that the objectives of the federal government and the minor parties in the rainbow coalition do not coincide, based on how Monday’s Lower House procedures went. It is obvious that the government does not have much room to grant wishes. If an ally begins requesting development funding while the IMF is on its tail, for example, it will be helpless to act. Because it cannot afford to enrage the influential groups that do not want Ali Wazir to be present in the National Assembly, it also cannot do anything to ensure his presence there. Similarly, it cannot be expected to take significant action in response to claims of violence and election cheating in Sindh’s most recent local government elections, which practically all parties outside of the PPP have criticised as being neither free nor fair.
Of course, the government will look for methods to placate its irate partners, but it is also up to the partners to make concessions. It might be the end of the administration if even one ally decides to leave because staying would be too expensive politically. There are only two votes holding the treasury benches in place, one politician reminded them. The prime minister must also keep a watch on Punjab, where the state’s government is precariously positioned between legal challenges to its authority and a crucial by-election scheduled for the next month. A defeat there might be fatal.
In the meantime, Mr. Khan has made plans for yet another protest in Islamabad on July 2 – precisely one day after the implementation of the government’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He will have noticed the mounting popular dissatisfaction over the difficult budgetary decisions and is probably hoping to capitalise on it to regain national significance.
The issue will be to keep one hand on the wheel while trying to keep the government together since the prime minister is determined to steer the economy out of the current crisis. It will need a lot of perseverance and experience to get through this summer as the difficulties grow.
Political system appears to be tipping once more toward disequilibrium as a result of internal flaws
