THERE may be one purpose but there are several differences. This is how many would define the deeply divided political opposition as it stands today. Recriminations have been flying back and forth ever since the PPP parted ways with the PML-N and JUI-F shortly after the Senate elections in March. It quit the opposition alliance, PDM, over differences on the member parties’ strategy to weaken and bring down the PTI government. The divisions, however, seem to have widened even more. This can be seen in the escalating war of words between the top leadership of the PPP and PDM of late. In fact, the opposition party and alliance increasingly appear to be focused on holding each responsible for the PDM’s unsuccessful anti-government campaign, rather than stepping back to take stock of the situation and then combining efforts to achieve their common goals and hold the ruling party accountable for its sins of omission and commission. The growing gulf in an already divided opposition does not bode well for Pakistan’s frail democracy. Those who support the opposition expect it to act in a mature manner to protect their basic political and economic rights inside and outside parliament.

The recent spat between PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding who is responsible for the partial break-up of the opposition alliance does not serve the interests of anyone, least of all the citizens. With Mr Bhutto-Zardari calling out the PDM leadership for refusing to support the proposal for a no-trust move against the PTI government in Islamabad and Punjab, the maulana has accused the PPP of secretively supporting the government and damaging the opposition’s common cause. It is no surprise that these acrimonious statements are getting them nowhere, even as the government consolidates its own position politically. Both the PPP and PDM have made bad decisions in the past and they should admit as much. But instead of constantly looking back, the opposition should move past its petty disputes and remove mutual suspicions to find some way of working together. A healthy democracy is driven by a robust opposition that puts pressure on the government to perform better — the latter is especially crucial at a time when regional politics is changing after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. It is true that distrust will not vanish overnight. But at least they can make a start in the right direction.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021