Left in the Lurch

PML-N workers feel the Sharif family has washed its hand off its responsibility in these testing times

Lahore: The workers of PML-N, once the largest political party in Punjab, are feeling marginalised primarily owing to the lack of interest and indifference of their political hierarchy towards them and to party’s cause.

On the other hand, the PTI workers are fully charged and mobilised despite the attack on their leader Imran Khan in Wazirabad a few weeks back.

At times when Imran Khan is fully active in mobilising and motivating his workers, the PML-N party workers are left feeling that the Sharif family – particularly Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz – have washed their hands off their respective responsibilities during these testing times.

The popularity graph of PML-N seems to be at its lowest ebb at the moment and its political fortunes seem to be evaporating in Punjab.

Both Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are in London and there is no chance of their coming back in near future. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the other hand, is hectically busy in Islamabad but his son Hamza’s retreat into the shadows has perplexed the party workers who await the much-delayed reorganisation and restructuring of the party in the federal capital amid soaring political temperatures. The second tier of the party is also invisible in Punjab, except a few federal ministers seen on the media screens.

The PML-N political headquarter at 180-H Model Town is giving a desolate look these days. Maryam is in London. Hamza is not visiting the party office and Rana Sanaullah, the provincial party president, has restricted his activities in Islamabad. In the puzzling absence of party leadership, the second tier of the party is also quite disinterested in visiting the Model Town office. Contrary to the atmosphere in the PML-N camp, the PTI leadership is fully active and engaging in Punjab.

Chairman Imran Khan has made Lahore his political headquarter and the focus of media these days is Zaman Park instead of Model Town.

Despite facing odd times, when the establishment seems to be quite hostile towards PTI and the Punjab government is reluctant to accommodate and cooperate with its major coalition partner, Imran is not ready to bow down and is standing tall amidst his workers.

To give credit where due, the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has appeared unfazed by the assassination attempt on the former premier Imran Khan who was hospitalised for over a week after the attack and afterwards shifted at his Zaman Park residence.

Determined as ever, he has vowed to continue leading his party’s long march towards Islamabad.

Having said that, Imran Khan is trying hard to bridge differences with the military establishment, and his meeting with President Arif Alvi ahead of the appointment of army chief is praise worthy indeed. Insiders claimed that as Dr Alvi briefed Imran Khan on the summary, the latter directed the President to take action within the ambit of law and the Constitution. “We must adhere to law and the Constitution and not create a controversy over any appointment in state institutions, reliable sources quoted Imran Khan as saying. They stated that Imran had further maintained that the PTI has no enmity with any institution.

On the other hand, the PML-N leadership is quite pleased over their relationship with the establishment. They believe that the new appointments in the Army made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would help in boosting the morale of party workers. A source stated that the party leadership is now banking on its relationship with the establishment instead of strengthening its ties with the party workers ahead of the general elections.

Besides, the challenge to convert the lost constituencies into its own sturdier governing force has become even tougher for PML-N in the face of growing factionalism stemming from the absence of the two Sharif scions.

Sources said this could be the clearest indication yet that the party’s hopes of maintaining its hold in Punjab are fading fast amid its sagging approval ratings in the province.

Few of the party insiders remarked that besides the party vice president’s ‘unseasonal’ stay in London, Hamza Shehbaz, too, after returning from the European capital more than a month ago is ‘sleeping on the job’ and has virtually kept politics at bay.

“The organisation of PML-N Punjab was supposed to commence in mid-October as both Maryam and Hamza were scheduled to visit the various districts on the instructions of PML-N chief and ex-premier Nawaz Sharif,” the sources shared. “But that has not happened to date.” It may be mentioned here that though Maryam had started the process of confirming the officials responsible for the party organization, it has now hit the snags, indefinitely.

Furthermore, the PML-N’s failure to decide even the district presidency despite the passage of a year has reflected poorly on the party.

The party has been working without a district president ever since the senior leader PML-N Lahore Mohammad Pervaiz Malik passed away last year. The indecisiveness on the nomination for the post says it all about the conflict that exists over the matter.

Sources explained that the names of Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar and Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan were being considered for the position. However, as things stand today, one faction of the party is clearly in favour of Khokhar while the other backs Mashhood.

“Due to strong factionalism within the party, the district presidency could not be decided despite the passage of a year. The party workers are disappointed with the pending process of organisation across Punjab, including Lahore,” said the sources who blamed the PML-N’s shock defeat in the recent by-polls to its failure to pick a president.