The PTI government put its best foot forward to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, but exhibited a sign of political immaturity by refusing to invite opposition leaders to the banquet Prime Minister Imran Khan hosted in his honour. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tried to justify the decision, saying the main opposition leaders could not be invited since they face corruption charges, and that none of them is "of the stature to attend such an event." Whether anyone likes them or not the fact is that the PML-N President is the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly while his party's Raja Zafarul Haq occupies the same position in the upper house, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari heads the second largest opposition party, the PPP, in the assembly. Also, provincial governors were present at the banquet, but not the elected chief ministers. It is not for the government to determine these leaders' stature, bestowed on them by the people of this country. They should have been given due respect for the positions they hold by dint of public support.
The opposition has rightly pointed out that the Saudi crown prince came on a state visit, not as a personal friend of the prime minister; hence, his visit should have been managed as a state affair. As per a tradition in functioning democracies, opposition leaders are invited to state dinners for visiting dignitaries and also provided with an opportunity to hold separate meetings with them. Such occasions are important to show unity of support for state policies, and for the leaders of opposition - seen as government in waiting - to have a better understanding of the other side's policies and expectations.
In acting the way it has, the ruling party has presented the visitor and the wider world an image of disunity. If the purpose was to embarrass or humiliate the opposition, it has not had the desired effect. Widely criticised, the decision shows the PTI has a lot to learn about democratic norms. The government of today is the opposition of tomorrow. Unfortunately, however, an unsavoury precedent has been set. The government is therefore required to revisit its policy immediately because there will be more such visits in the near future.