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Emergence of new political alliances not a far cry

Jalil Hasan Akhtar

Lahore: Divergent views were reported among the various factions of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) in its recent exercise of examining the question of whether to sign or not to sign Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

However, it was decided to further look into the matter before announcing the final verdict on one of the most controversial issues of the day, it is learnt.

A wedge seemed apparent between Pakistan Awami Ittehad and other factions of GDA on various national issues, particularly CTBT.

The opposition parties, which once struggled so vehemently against the government of Nawaz Sharif are at present bifurcated on the view of whether to restore democracy first or complete the 'Ehetsab' process prior to the announcement of new elections in the country.

Tahir-ul-Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehrik appears to be leading the way among the parties which vociferously plead for completion of Ehtesab before any other agenda.

The PAT view, though not liked by some parties is that a time span of more than two years should not be given to present government for completing its agenda.

However, Qadri's party may not be what it is thought by many to be, for supporting government on Ehtesab issue. There appears to be emerging an independent new support for the present government to continue indefinitely for completing its political and economic agenda.

Circles with religious inclinations have generally seen as blissful the recent statement of Chief Eexecutive Pervez Musharraf, wherein he unequivocally declared not to hand over power to political elements who were once involved in looting the wealth of the country while in power.This attitude of certain religio-political groups has also been a source of creating internal rift among various circles within the GDA as well as leadership of Pakistan Awami Ittehad.

The approach of PAT has been one of the factors of uneasiness between the two political groups while forming part of Pakistan Awami Ittehad - a 15-party alliance - and later Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) - another political alliance.

With the possibility of new alliances emerging particularly among progressive groups and later of those like-minded people who ardently support the present government to complete the process of accountability, irrespective of any time frame, it is generally believed that divergent views, which the top leadership of PAI political alliance had been so astutely able to camouflage, might take a new turn, where holding of PAI parties in one string might become too much to ask.