(Image source: Express Tribune)

BY ADNAN S. KHAN
 

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Imagine if half the majority party in Congress got up and said - we quit! That’s the situation Pakistan is facing right now. According to the Business Recorder, the MQM party decided to quit the federal cabinet - citing its frustrations with the ineffectiveness of the current government.

“Of course, the MQM doesn't like its latest move to be dubbed as ‘political pressure’ but apparently there is no other word in the Dictionary of Politics to explain the party's calibrated threat that can lead to complete departure from the corridors of power.”

In this parliamentary term the current ruling party, Pakistan People’s Party - or PPP -- was unable to allocate sufficient seats to take office, so it created a coalition government with MQM.

PPP has 181 seats including the 25 seats held by MQM.  That’s just 9 seats more than the requirement to maintain its majority. So MQM’s measly 25 seats hold a lot of power in the ruling party. An analyst for Pakistan’s Express 24/7 says this is the perfect example of how ‘patronage politics’ and ‘brutalization’ of public opinion plagues Pakistani governance.

“I don’t think it’s entirely out of the possibility the idea of a change in government. But the equation to pull of such a change and the hope that such a change will to a more stable government I think is really – I think if we hold that hope we’re living in a fool’s paradise.”

Pakistan’s DAWN newspaper says MQM is not the first to bail on the present government. Earlier in the month the much smaller JUI-F also quit and demanded the resignation of the current Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The DAWN added- these are nothing but political games.

“Some analysts are of the opinion that both the parties are out to help President Zardari in his efforts to replace Prime Minister Gilani with another PPP leader.”

The BBC says MQM could completely topple the current government if it chooses to join up with the opposition party. But an analyst for BBC says MQM has refrained from doing so -- for good reasons.

“…no party wants to be blamed for toppling an elected government in a country which has been marred by successive military takeovers.”

If MQM does switch, it will force a new election, which in turn, could lead to a less U.S. friendly government. The Telegraph says Pakistan’s stability is not only crucial in the fight against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but also could help to avert an even more disastrous scenario.

“The security of the country's nuclear arsenal is another cause for concern, although diplomats said privately they hoped the coalition partners could settle their differences.”

Finally -- a writer for the Pakistani-based Express Tribune asks, what’s the point to all this?

“The real question is this: When would the parties in the government and the opposition decide to take a stand that means something to the public, instead of playing political games by making symbolic gestures?”

So what do you think? Is MQM’s move a major blow to Pakistani politics?

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