FOR over two and half months, the ongoing free-for-all in Punjab between the PML-N ruling coalition and the PTI-PML-Q alliance has been causing one constitutional crisis after another. But the way Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has used his office to stall the presentation of the provincial budget for the next fiscal year takes the cake.

The move has further diminished signs of an early resolution of the crisis in Pakistan’s most populous province. It shows that the PTI-PML-Q opposition is ready to go to all lengths to bring down the present set-up and recapture power in Punjab to force early elections, no matter what the cost to the economy or people.

It is possible that the political crisis might worsen in the days ahead, unless the PML-N and its coalition partners manage to muster a simple majority of 186 members in the House in next month’s by-elections on 20 provincial seats in order to remove Mr Elahi from office.

Read: Punjab sinks deeper into political ‘quicksand’

The current crisis in Punjab has its roots in the successful ouster of Imran Khan as prime minister through a no-confidence vote in April, in spite of every stratagem employed by the then government to avert a defeat. The removal of the PTI government at the centre was followed by the election of Hamza Shehbaz as Punjab chief minister but only after much chaos, legal battles and violence in the provincial assembly triggered by PTI and PML-Q lawmakers, apparently on the directions of the speaker, who himself was a candidate for the top job.

The election didn’t end the political turmoil in the province as the previous PTI governor refused to administer the oath to Hamza Shehbaz, saying that the election was invalid. Even after the National Assembly speaker swore in the Sharif scion after two weeks, he was unable to constitute his cabinet until the president, after weeks of dilly-dallying, allowed the appointment of a new governor on the PM’s advice.

Needless to say, the entire provincial administration remained paralysed for nearly two months, delaying important decisions.

As if that were not enough, once again the opposition alliance is leading the province to chaos by stalling the presentation of the budget.

That the speaker put off the budget on Monday and did not start the proceedings the next day despite the government’s commitment to withdraw cases registered against PTI and PML-Q workers and parliamentarians over the recent long march and violence in the assembly on April 16 is an indication of possibly mala fide intentions. The opposition’s controversial demand that the province’s IGP and chief secretary apologise (for carrying out their duties on the orders of the high court, in fact) before the speaker allows the government to present its budget is untenable and will only demoralise the bureaucracy. The opposition needs to realise that such unconstitutional actions will return to haunt them.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2022