The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) kick-started a protest campaign calling for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. PPP workers protested in Karachi, Larkana, Mithi, Badin and Shikarpur, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Nawabshah, Ghotki, Sanghar, Khairpur and other districts. Most of the protests were centered round load-shedding. The protesters also called for the PM’s resignation in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s recent Panamagate decision. PPP information secretary Maula Bux Chandio assailed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as well as federal government ministers, especially Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.The National Assembly and the Senate also witnessed rumpus as members from the opposition benches created noisy scenes, surrounded the dais of the speaker, demanded resignation of the Prime Minister and raised slogans against PM Nawaz.Opposition members participated in the Senate and National Assembly sessions with black ribbons tied on their arms as a gesture to record protest. Opposition leader Khursheed Shah demanded that the Prime Minister step down from his position. Rejecting the JIT, which the apex court ordered for further investigation into the money trail of the Prime Minister and his sons, Shah questioned how the team could probe transparently while the PM remained in power. Shah said the opposition was ready to fight the PML-N, both inside the Parliament and outside, and called on the nation to get ready for a protest call.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad, meanwhile, said Nawaz Sharif was the elected representative of the people of Pakistan and would not step down from his position. Aftab Ahmad said all the political parties should honour the decision of the apex court and avoid creating hurdles in the path of investigation by the JIT. The demand of the opposition was reflective of their disappointment on the decision, he added. While low attendance was witnessed on the treasury benches, those present on the opposition benches stood up from their seats in protest. After the decision of Supreme Court on Panama Case, experts are anticipating worsening of political situation in the coming days, as on the one hand opposition parties were adamant to get the prime minister’s resignation before the investigation by the JIT, while the government and its allies were advising Sharif to stick to his guns. In the prevailing circumstances it would be almost impossible that the electoral reforms process would be completed on time.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has required reasonable time to implement new law. If the reforms process would not be completed in the next couple of months it would become extremely difficult for ECP to introduce these reforms before the next general elections.The chances of passage of the electoral reforms laws from the parliament are looking slim on time. There are many development projects are currently underway and the protest of opposition parties may divert the focus of government from these projects.
The opposition parties should wait for the completion of judicial process regarding the case and should not put the interests of the country on stake. The government should handle the situation carefully and should initiate talks with opposition parties to settle the issue. Any instability at this stage may severely harm the interests of the country.
