ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI's) federal government, as well as, provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can land in serious trouble if the opposition parties manage to mobilise the masses against the government in the wake of unbridled inflation.

A PTI lawmaker, requesting anonymity, said, the party is losing support on four counts.

"Our party drew support mainly from educated middle class, religious forces, security establishment and overseas Pakistanis. Now, there is growing resentment in the lower and middle class against continued inflation.

"Religious forces have also become hostile after Interior Ministry banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). There are visible cracks in the relationship between security establishment and government over the notification controversy. And overseas Pakistanis, who mainly support their families in Pakistan, are feeling the heat of rising expenses," he added.

In the existing scenario, the PTI leadership is concerned that if people start showing up in the public rallies of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the otherwise lifeless anti-government campaign can transform into a full-fledged public movement that could potentially have disastrous consequences for Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government, background discussions with informed political leaders reveal.

PM Khan, publicly and in internal meetings, has categorically admitted that inflation has become the greatest challenge for the government, the insider said, adding that PM and his kitchen cabinet members are desperately trying to stem the rising tide of anti-government sentiment. The launch of so-called relief package is part of government's efforts to mitigate inflationary impact on common man, it is learnt.

"If opposition manages to exploit the public sentiment to the point where the masses take to the roads, the situation could slip out of our hands," the PTI leader said.

When contacted, President Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab chapter and Member National Assembly Rana Sanaullah said the PDM is formulating a strategy to launch a long march in provinces against the government. "In this context, our party chief Shehbaz Sharif and PDM chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman have agreed, and modalities are being finalised," he said.

To a question, he said, Shehbaz Sharif has also approached Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other opposition parties to launch a collective anti-government struggle.

"We have sent out open invitation to everyone. Let's join hands to send this 'selected government' packing. Public has been pushed to the wall and it is not ready to tolerate this government even for a single day. Our long march would unnerve the rulers and they would be left with no option but to pack up and flee," he told Business Recorder by phone.

Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the PPP has already launched protests against inflation. "We hold protest rallies every Friday in line with party's decision to resist unprecedented inflation. Worst gas crisis is in the offing this winter and people have already started facing gas shortage in some parts of the country. For people, survival has become a challenge. Things are just unbearable," he said.

To a query, the PPP leader said, his party believes in protests through democratic means inside and outside Parliament. In the ongoing sessions of National Assembly and Senate, PPP is on the forefront in giving a tough time to government, he added.

He said Shehbaz Sharif's offer to join PDM would be reviewed by the party. "We have internal forums like Central Executive Committee to deliberate and take policy decisions like making alliances and all that. Our CEC would give a sincere and thorough consideration to this offer," the PPP stalwart said.

Another senior opposition leader, who wished not to be named, said PDM can pose a big challenge to the government in the present circumstances but internal differences within PDM ranks are a bottleneck. "There is internal grouping-lobbies led by Maryam and Shehbaz- and PPP stays away from PDM due to its own reasons. If these differences are bridged and a serious struggle launched, this can be a nightmare for this government," the source said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021