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Sherpao Outwits Opponents*Published by the Daily Sindh Express, Karachi on May 15, 1990 After the controversial Eid celebration around the country it was expected that the political differences within the ranks of our political leaders would die down and in NWFP it happened miraculously? The pro-government sources say that a consensus amongst provincial politicians was in first place worked for by the NWFP Chief Minister when he demanded of the federal government to call into session the Council of Common Interests (CCI). Such a call from the government of NWFP prompted the political observers to say that now Pakistan was indulged into a unique tussle between the federation and its constituting smaller provinces? These pundits happily moved their assessment of the situation to the extreme as with their reflections on the fact of polarization of our national political life. Just months after the revival of democracy such a airing about such could hardly be wise. But ironically this time the very provincialism has erupted from Punjab where IJI's provincial government under Nawaz Sharif is out challenging the federal government for its own share in cake. And amid such a scenario when the federal government was busy to calm down the very Punjab phobia its own party in NWFP aired the fire. To all this development in offing some local observers said that it was in fact the government's trick to play down on the public opinion as on price hikes and corruption. To these circles such constitutional issues and its airing in public was not going to feed the hungry masses. But despite all this criticism the provincial chief minister Mr. Aftab Khan Sherpao was seemingly in high spirits and control. In the middle of May as the next budget was just four weeks away to be tabled in the house, Sherpao was practically steering the entire House himself. His demand for payment of his province share from the federal accounts for hydropower facilities has been a point that led him into an unlimited popularity and political support. And earlier this pace of development forced some opposition members to ask for the High Court intervention. In a writ led by opposition leader Humayun Saifullah Khan, court was asked to declare the membership of those deserted to the treasury benches as void. However, before the court verdict would come the very opposition leader Humayun Saifullah Khan, appeared before a press conference and in presence of PPP provincial chief Aftab Sherpao he signed an agreement pledging to work in collation with PPP government. On the occasion Sherpao paid him great homage saying that this was how a patriotic leader would dare to serve the country. No doubt this very show has turned the entire political scenario into a game of unbelieving outcome and this switching of loyalties has virtually brought Mr. Sherpao's government in the province as the one enjoying an unprecedented popularity and now every one in the opposition is busy thinking to change over to the treasury party. But the question that democracy would itself be looking for is the very existence of the opposition because without opposition there could hardly be any democracy. Losing Humayun Saifullah, the opposition is now hectically looking for his substitute who may be the leader of opposition in the provincial assembly. Observers believe that at a juncture of time when the provincial government be fielding its new annual fiscal budget and amid such an event the non-availability of a forceful opposition would mean all clear for Sherpao government.? Let us wait and see the consequences of this democratic character on the part of our leaders.
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