Protests against government: Will joint opposition achieve its objectives?

[Zibago]

Protests against government: Will joint opposition achieve its objectives?

Rival political parties have decided to hold protests all across Pakistan against the incumbent government. The decision to hold these anti-government rallies was made at an Iftar dinner hosted by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, inviting PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz as a guest to discuss matters regarding the government’s misuse of authority.

July 23, 2019

News Analysis |

The opposition political parties have now decided to give a tough time to the incumbent government for its alleged uncompromising stance over the matters of misuse of authority and corruption. According to local media reports, the opposition parties’ ‘Rehbar Committee’ on Monday decided to hold public gatherings in all four provincial capitals of the country on July 25.

The underlying objective is to pressurize the Prime Minister and his cabinet to release Nawaz Sharif, former PM, convicted by an accountability court over corruption charges, and Asif Ali Zardari, former President who is currently in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over the allegations of money laundering and fake bank accounts.

According to details, the decision to give tough time to the PTI’s government was made in a meeting of the Opposition’s Rehbar Committee presided over by Akram Durrani of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). The meeting reportedly decided to hold public gatherings in all four provincial capitals of the country.

The PM has made it clear that there is only one way to avoid prison and that is to return the money the former rulers have looted from Pakistan.

The committee decided that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will lead the public gathering in Karachi while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz will head the public gathering in Lahore. Likewise, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be the host of a public rally in Peshawar.

Hasil Bizenjo and Mahmood Khan Achakzai will supervise the rally in Quetta, sources say, which Maryam Nawaz will also be a part of.

A Campaign Against the Government
The decision to hold protests against the government was taken during an Iftar dinner in Islamabad when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari invited Maryam Nawaz. Both leaders decided to launch an anti-government campaign after Eid. During a press conference, Bilawal maintained that the opposition has jointly decided to come up against the government for its anti-masses economic policies.

Read more: Opposition will be united in Jail: Imran Khan in Washington

PPP chairman also hinted at reviving the Charter of Democracy (CoD), a document signed by Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to bring democracy back to Pakistan during the last days of Musharraf’s era. The said document is also criticized for being a contract signed between the parties of status quo to maintain their political control over the country to prolong their rule.

Former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also said that all parties have agreed that the government has failed in running the affairs of the country. He added that after Eid, an All Parties Conference (APC) would be held where a joint strategy would be formulated.


This is not for the first time that the government is going to face threats of being toppled. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, President of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), categorically threatened to disrupt the political process in the country if the results of General Elections 2018 are not declared “null and void”. The MMA president chaired an All-parties conference (MPC) in August 2018 along with the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.

Read more: PM Khan’s popularity remains unchanged despite controversies

The conference rejected the General Election 2018 and demanded ‘free and fair’ re-elections across the country. “The All Parties Conference has completely rejected the July 25, 2018 elections with consensus,” announced Rehman while addressing the media. “We do not consider this election to be the mandate of the public,” said defeated MMA president.

Will Opposition be Able to Achieve its Objectives?
Considering the stance of the prime minister over the matters of corruption, it is evident that the opposition is not going to achieve what it wants to. The PM has made it clear that there is only one way to avoid prison and that is to return the money the former rulers have looted from Pakistan. He reiterated the same when he was addressed over 30, 000 Pakistani-Americans in Washington DC.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/...will-joint-opposition-achieve-its-objectives/

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

nah, the powers they was relying on have moved on....
looking back .............many a times, long marches have been organized.
its common on the part of ruling party to prevent it one way or another. I remember, the Race Course Police Lhr in-charge used to come see my grandpa and ask for a list of PPP activist in our area and lock em up at the instructions the PMLN CM etc. Then I remember him being put on the list by PPP when PMLN wanted to do a long march when PPP was in power. Luckily we were tipped off in advance and I had to move him from Upper Mall & hide my grand pa in defence.lol.
I hope they both remember their own shenanigans!

 

[Imad.Khan]

Does anyone know what is their objective or do they even have one?

 

[Vortex]

Does anyone know what is their objective or do they even have one?

Avoid jail
Stay relevant
Continue loot

It’s obvious from the fact that pml-n accused ppp for looting, ppp acused pmln for looting, while fazul rehman pomped diesel... and all thoses unite against first gov who want accountability from everyone....

 

[Verve]

Does anyone know what is their objective or do they even have one?

Failure to have clear objectives that resonate with and mobilise people on the streets will achieve nothing other than noise on media.

 

[VCheng]

Rival political parties have decided to hold protests all across Pakistan against the incumbent government.

This is a mistake, and will fail.

 

[Zibago]

This is a mistake, and will fail.

They will burn out years before the elections
That is exactly what pti wants

 

[VCheng]

They will burn out years before the elections
That is exactly what pti wants

All political parties must realize that this is not the time to be fighting with each other, given the dire economic situation. Let the economy get back on track first. Then wait for the next elections. And repeat. That is how the process must work.

 

[Zibago]

All political parties must realize that this is not the time to be fighting with each other, given the dire economic situation. Let the economy get back on track first. Then wait for the next elections. And repeat. That is how the process must work.

PTI must realize that the path to an economically prosperous Pakistan runs straight through pmln and ppp
They both have to be destroyed

 

[VCheng]

PTI must realize that the path to an economically prosperous Pakistan runs straight through pmln and ppp
They both have to be destroyed

Destroying political opposition will cause its own issues, one of them being that it does nothing to change economic fundamentals and national productivity. Creating a pseudo-dictatorship is not a solution to anything.

 

[Vortex]

Destroying political opposition will cause its own issues, one of them being that it does nothing to change economic fundamentals and national productivity. Creating a pseudo-dictatorship is not a solution to anything.

Yes but those pmln and ppp, the said opposition, do not want let the government to work. They do not want Accountability, which is so much needed, the patwaris at each level of the state’s bureaucracy who will block any law implementation... etc.

These Pmln ppp heads b4st4rds should be destroyed. We then will have a clean opposition... not this kingdoms’s oppositions.

 

[VCheng]

Yes but those pmln and ppp, the said opposition, do not want let the government to work. They do not want Accountability, which is so much needed, the patwaris at each level of the state’s bureaucracy who will block any law implementation... etc.

These Pmln ppp heads b4st4rds should be destroyed. We then will have a clean opposition... not this kingdoms’s oppositions.

I am sure PMIK will find the correct balance of tough decisions and compromises that work out the best for the country.

 

[Verve]

Creating a pseudo-dictatorship is not a solution to anything.

NRO is not an option. To say that catching criminals is pseudo dictatorship is just daft.

 

[Zibago]

Destroying political opposition will cause its own issues, one of them being that it does nothing to change economic fundamentals and national productivity. Creating a pseudo-dictatorship is not a solution to anything.

Not really it will just help clear the field of vermin

 

[VCheng]

NRO is not an option. To say that catching criminals is pseudo dictatorship is just daft.

Where did I say either? I said PMIK can be trusted to make the correct balance of choices that work out the best for Pakistan. What he decides in this regard is fine by me, whatever it might be.

Not really it will just help clear the field of vermin

Let us see what happens during the remainder of PMIK's term in this regard.