Once the electioneering momentum is broken a kind of vacuum of political power would tend to obtain in the country, conceding space for Bonapartist politics. Frankly, over the last many years, even after evaporation of General Musharraf-led military dispensation and restoration of democratic order the lot of man on the street hasn't changed. He is not yet a direct beneficiary as the fruit of democracy is falling somewhere else, not in his lap. So, the contenders for political power are walking the thin ice; they must facilitate the work of the Election Commission of Pakistan by offering unstinted support, be it by assisting timely delimitation of constituencies, verification of electoral rolls or taming of their haughty workers.
And also with general election in sight, an air of switching sides and making new alliances, has begun sweeping the national landscape. Consider, ANP has decided to go it alone; no more electoral alliances with any other party, says Asfandyar Wali, who stood fast with President Zardari-stitched coalition as his partymen kept nudging him to call it a day by walking out on partnership over the Karachi imbroglio. Nawaz Sharif is spending quite a big chunk of his time in interior Sindh busy as he is in shredding the PPP's so-called Sindh card. Maulana Fazlur Rehman is so much cut up over Jamaat-e-Islami's refusal to return to the MMA fold that the other day he refused to accept it as a political entity, saying that Jamaat is merely an NGO. The Imran Khan-led PTI is faced with threat of increasing desertions as quite a few of its early arrivals are making to the new pastures finding them greener. As usual, on the eve of election, the Chaudhrys-led PML (Q) is susceptible to further disintegration, a process accentuated by its party workers' difficulty to coexist with those from PPP. Then the PPP is facing the challenge of some kind of face-lifting, including Safdar Abbasi's announcement to contest election independent of the high command's goodwill and patronage. And last but not least; the 'apolitical' Defa-e-Pakistan Council too is getting ready for the electoral race. All in all, the political contenders are getting ready for hectic electioneering.
How much more twists and turns the parties will make before election which must be held before mid-May next year nothing can be said with any certitude. But one thing is clear - and quite astounding - that junior partners in the PPP-led coalition haven't taken long enough to shed the warmth of their co-operative relationship. JUI (F) left sometime back and doesn't seem to be making any move to return to the fold - though it has a weird history of making and breaking friendships. The ANP and PML (Q) too have charted independent courses for themselves. How far the MQM will go in keeping intact its alliance with the PPP the emerging signs suggest not long enough, giving their not-so-identical positions on delimitation of constituencies - while the MQM wants no more delimitation the PPP is amenable even if it covers the entire province of Sindh. No wonder none of the parties would like to be judged in the light of their performance, including its stances on critical issues. But such a pre-poll posturing is not entirely unexpected in a working democracy, but for the circumspection on the part of the political players that campaigns should remain orderly, election process should go smoothly and election is held on time - also to ensure a genuinely elected government to be in place to present the next budget.