Economy or arrests – what will shape the new political age?

Jan Achakzai, Political Analyst

Opposition is compromised: PPP has Sindh government as prizes share in current system this is why they did not agitate even Zardari’s arrest.

PML-N is a house divided: Shehbaz Sharif still thinks he will create acceptance for his politics and also make a deal out of his legal woes so does not want to go hard on government. PML-N is also second largest party in Punjab; too much collusion will make its MPAs and MNAs think of their career prospects hence a new forward Block will emerge.

JUI-F only wants street protest but it has no stake cannot get benefit and is seeking funding for campaign. So is a non-starter.

Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Veteran Journalist

Unfortunately opposition is not in a position to start agitation although backbreaking prices, taxes sparing no one especially the poor and middle classes have created an ideal situation for civil war.

Opposition parties that we have, been drowned under the plethora of corruption charges except Bilawal Bhutto. He alone would take time to organise resistance to face the twin threat to democracy— i.e. populist IK and PTI backed to the hilt by the Establishment. However, one must remember that revolutions are sparked by minor incidents. By and large masses are wary of the lethal IK-Establishment combination.

Ahsan Raza, Journalist and Political Analyst

No. Arrests do not trigger public reaction anymore. The PML-N tried to mobilise the public after the arrests of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz and failed. The PPP had its own shares of high profile arrest like Asif Zardari, Siraj Durrani, Faryal Talpur and now Bilawal also faces the likelihood of arrest but their workers did not agitate. At the moment, it seems, the pressing issue for the public is the eroding economy. People are losing jobs, pay cuts and salary delays. Almost every sector has suffered. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari understands the pulse of the public and in his public rallies, he is taking up this issue again and again, whereas PML-N’s Maryam is only focusing on criminal cases against Nawaz Sharif and her other family members. So, in a nutshell, the economy is the issue, not the arrests of the leaders.