LAHORE, May 12: Opposition in the Punjab Assembly has been attenuated, with the PML-N emerging as the single largest party obtaining two-thirds majority in the general election.
The PML-N has bagged 204 seats out of 284 where results have been declared so far. Other parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf have collectively won 39 seats. Independent candidates in Punjab have chipped in with 41 seats. Results of about a dozen seats were not announced till filing of this report.
The PML-N will also be grabbing the lion’s share in the reserved seats.
Political analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi said the opposition would have a very limited role in the Punjab Assembly. “If smaller parties in the Punjab Assembly do not join hands, the PML-N will act like dictator in Punjab,” he said.
Stating that there was a small and divided opposition in Punjab, Mr Askari said the parties should join hands and create an effective opposition, which was very important for democracy to flourish. He agreed that the candidates elected as independents would eventually join the treasury.
PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry says the party has emerged as the second largest party (though with small numbers) and will prove an effective opposition and collaborate with all those who got votes against the PML-N. He says the PTI considers the Pakistan People’s Party equally responsible for national plight.
He told Dawn that he would call party’s Punjab chapter leadership and parliamentary board meeting in a couple of days to draw up a strategy. He said the party would also finalise its Leader of Opposition particularly from amongst those elected members who had already been in the Punjab Assembly in previous tenures.
“We will try to create a shadow cabinet to keep an eye on the performance of the government, Leader of the House and all ministers. We will also keep an eye on revenue bills, availability of resources as well as squandering of public resources,” he added.
PTI’s winning candidate from PP-151 Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed said the opposition had its constitutional role and would try to keep the government in check. He declined to comment on any possible alliance with opposition parties or selection of the opposition leader.
In 2008-2013 tenure, the PML-N remained in power in Punjab and faced a not-so-effective opposition. The PML-N had last time won 108 seats, while the PPP had 81 and the PML 69. Still, the opposition remained ineffective. The PML-N government had introduced and implemented projects at will and it will be the same case this time round.
In 2002, the PML-N was the third largest party with 38 seats in the Punjab Assembly, while the PML-Q formed its government with 131 elected seats. The PPP was the second largest party with 63 seats.
The PML-N had also won a heavy mandate in the Punjab Assembly in 1997 elections as well as in 1990 when it contested under the banner of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).
