Those elected by the nation in 2018 elections to devise policies to steer the country out of the multiple crises have failed to deliver. In fact, they have landed the country in a worse situation where they spend most of their time in casting aspersions on each other, and there is no indication as yet that they will spare time for their duties as elected representatives. 

The government and the opposition parties have adopted maximalist positions – and have no plans to narrow the gap. 

PML-Functional Secretary General Muhammad Ali Durrani, with the backing of party chief Pir Pagara, held a meeting with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, who is also leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail a few days ago. The purpose was to persuade him to hold talks with the government to work out a strategy to solve country’s problems.  

The meeting was held at a time when opposition alliance – PDM – is going to hold another session to take a decision on the proposed long march to Islamabad and tender collective resignations of all parliamentarians. 

Superfluous to point out that Shehbaz Sharif himself had proposed a grand national dialogue a few weeks ago. However, the idea did not get a positive response – neither from the government nor from the parties in the PDM, an alliance of 11 opposition parties. 

The prime minister said he was willing to discuss with opposition all issues except what he called an NRO – a term he uses for concessions to political leaders facing cases.

The PDM leaders have repeatedly said time for talks with the government had passed and that they would hold talks only after the prime minister’s resignation and announcement for fresh elections. Both the conditionalities are nothing more than wishful thinking. 

PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz have again ruled out talks with the government. They want the ouster of the government at any cost. 

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the main leader behind the anti-PTI government movement.

Because of inflexible positions of the two sides bitterness is escalating and country’s problems are multiplying.  

Whatever strategy the PDM leaders tailor for the future and whatever counter-strategy the ruling party works out, there are a few questions which the two sides must answer for the satisfaction and enlightenment of the nation.  

The opposition must explain: 

If the PTI government is ‘fake’ and illegitimate’ as the 2018 elections were rigged, what’s the status of opposition MPs’ legitimacy? If they are ‘legitimate’, how is it possible that some winners of the same process are legitimate and others not? 

If, for the sake of argument, the current assemblies are illegitimate, what is the status of privileges and perks enjoyed by the opposition MPs during the past 30 months or so? 

Will they like to return the same to the exchequer? If not, why?

What’s the justification for the opposition MPs to stick to their seats in the fake assemblies even today? Is it halal for them which otherwise is haram. 

What was the justification for Fazlur Rehman to contest the presidential election – of which the same ‘illegitimate’ assemblies were the electoral college?  

How far the opposition legislators share responsibility for the present setup’s failure to solve people’s problems? 

How far this impression is correct that PDM serves the interests of only the leaders like Nawaz Sharif, Maryam and Maulana Fazlur Rehman who being disqualified or unelected can’t play any role in parliament? Also, their vested interests demand that assemblies should remain dysfunctional and the PDM should be more active? 

When the opposition parties are not willing to hold talks with the government even for electoral reforms, how will the results of the next elections be acceptable to them, no matter who holds them and how transparent they are? 

The ruling party also owes some explanations to the nation as to why it failed to give the magic results in various walks of life which it had committed before elections? 

When the prices of essential items are out of the reach of the common man and their very survival has become difficult, what sense do other claimed achievements make for them? 

Then, if the government can’t bring the opposition alliance to the negotiating table for whatever reasons, how can it be expected it will take back Kashmir from Indian control through talks? 

Before claiming to be on the same page with the establishment, the PTI leadership should not forget that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had the best relations with then COAS Gen Ziaul Haq. But the fate he met at the hands of the same general is known to everyone. 

Similarly, Benazir Bhutto was unaware of her government’s fate till it was dismissed by then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

Nawaz Sharif, who was at war with then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, had said in a televised address that he would neither resign, nor take dictation, nor dissolve the assembly.

But then he had to take all three steps under pressure from the then army chief.

The government should also let the nation know whether corruption level in the Islamic republic has come down during the PTI rule. 

It should also enlighten the nation whether the system of justice has been improved during the present setup. 

If cases still take generations to decide, then no improvement can be claimed by the rulers. 

People believe that vested interests will continue to take turns in power, without doing much for the betterment of the common man.