Changes in the offing

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By Saeed Minhas

ISLAMABAD: The toxic reach of the estranged relationship between odd bedfellows often pours out in the form of tributaries, who otherwise remain calm. But when they gush out, they certainly ring bells in the corridors of power, and such was the case today in parliament when Afzal Gondal lashed out at the Noon Leaguers by accusing them of playing a double game.

The reactionary jiyala from Mandi Bhauddin was apparently responding to allegations of corruption against the government raised by Rana Tanveer of the Noon League, but in reality, as claimed by senior leaders of the party, it was another rejoinder to the Sharifs to mend their ways or get ready for a pitched political battle in their homeland.

Regardless of these exchanges in parliament, the government at present seems to be focusing on correcting its image regarding governance. The party’s core committee is already in place, rather in command, and has become a driving force of the Presidency and the thinking machine of the Gilani-chambers.

Although members of the Central Executive Committee, including some vice presidents and secretaries of the party, have certain reservations about the constitution of the core committee, the committees’ Samaritans, Docs and Butts are firm about it and are helping reframe the power structure, while sitting on the hilltop. It was perhaps one of those lucky days when a group of us came across some insiders to have some chitchat about their wizardry.

The wise guys claimed that for once they have decided to take the fight not only back to the judiciary, but also to the Sharifs. Two years of reconciliation, according to them, have yielded no results rather have earned the government dormancy and trust deficit at the public level. Although the black coats claim that the judiciary is not losing its credibility and popularity amongst the masses because of cases like that of Hamesh Khan and Kamran Lashari, the jiyalas and even independent observers differ, claiming that a tilt is quite visible to mar the clean image of the black robes.

Once you meet some of these silent operators, it’s hard to not get some information from them, and the same happened when we were discussing the restructuring of the government to prove that the party is alive to the sufferings of its workers and masses.

The removal of Lashkari Raisani was presented as an example by the info-rich, rather info-mechanic, as they believe that it was done due to various strategic and political reasons. The reasons were considered sensitive just like that of Musharraf’s handling of the CJP’s case, therefore, all we have to do here is rely on what is being told.

Instead, we were told that Balochistan is one of the prime provinces for both strategic and geographic reasons, therefore, its sardars will have to be aligned with the nationalistic agenda. As we all wondered if it has got anything to do with the much-trumpeted, but invisible and perhaps inexistent, Quetta Shura, or the hefty, and sometimes sumptuous, contracts of the National Highway Authority, we were told otherwise. They maintained that by replacing a sardar with another might not seem wise to some prophetic anchorpersons, but when it is done in national interests, the government doesn’t mind a few hopping anchors. Halting the informant, one of us asked if the second Raisani would be given a break on the same pretext. The diplomatic answer was “no comment”. But then smiling back, he said in a low tone that if nothing else, sometimes the sardars agree to take a rest on the pretext of ill-health without any ill will.

But will it sort the mess was the query to which the wise guy said the committee, backed by all relevant institutions, is making sure that this mess is not only controlled, but wiped out completely.

The next chapter of this discussion took place after listening to Afzal Gondal’s bulldozing voice, where he tried to remind the Sharifs that instead of playing on both sides of the wicket, they should clear their position. The challenge – second in as many days, as the first one came from the premier himself yesterday – certainly made the Quash Leaguers feel some heat for obvious reasons. But will the Quash Leaguers’ fractured factions be of any use to the government, is something we will leave for some other time.

Getting back to the wise guy, the issue of Sindh also came up where Shah Jee’s role was scrutinised and we were told that if Raisani faints in the midst of a public gathering due to health reasons, then our sweet Shah has some health issues as well, for which he is constantly receiving treatment by landing at some young doctor’s place without even a protocol.

However, he brushed aside the notion that it was during his previous tenure that he failed to stamp his authority in urban Sindh and resultantly Altaf Bhai kept strengthening his stranglehold on political veins of the urban areas, saying the MQM is not an issue for the PPP but it’s the internal structuring where President Zardari wants to focus now. Who might be the next in line for this kind of job remains illusive, but in the presence of Pir Mazharul Haq, Agha Siraj Durrani and, last but not the least, Zulfiqar Mirza, Mr Khoro doesn’t seem to be a likely choice under the current circumstances, he added.

Well, all these changes might or might not take place, but one thing seems sure that the People’s Party is seriously thinking of restructuring its postures while aiming at providing good governance – an account where they are lacking like all others.

With the budget sending more money to the provinces, the federal government and the ruling party both have to be serious about organising their provincial and local bases, for which the PPP has to clean the stigma of not holding local bodies elections during any of its tenures, commented a political pundit to sum it up.