ISLAMABAD: After the PTI’s return to parliament on Monday, all eyes are now on Imran Khan to see how he and his party play their role as an effective opposition in the National and provincial assemblies.

PTI lawmakers can expect, over the next few weeks, to be grilled over their decision to quit the assemblies and how it had adversely affected democracy in the country.

Justifying the party’s return to parliament, PTI MNA Dr Arif Alvi said that with the promulgation of the presidential ordinance to set up a judicial commission, “we were morally bound to return to the house and play our democratic role”.

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Although PTI remained away from the National Assembly for nearly eight months, it didn’t miss much on the legislative front. The last significant piece of legislative business that the house was seized with was the Protection of the Pakistan Act, which was passed in the second week of July last year, a month before PTI quit the assemblies.

As far as the passage of the controversial 21st constitutional amendment to set up military courts is concerned, PTI Chairman Imran Khan did participate in two consecutive all-party conferences on the subject and fully endorsed the legislation, though he didn’t go to the house to vote for it.

According to Dr Alvi, the PTI’s primary objective with its return to the assemblies was becoming part of the electoral reform process, which a multi-party parliamentary committee has taken up.

Protesting party’s return to parliament does not mean the wind has been blown out of its sails

“Of course, we will never accept any reform package for future general elections that is decided without our participation,” he said.

In background discussions, more than a couple of PTI MNAs told Dawn that following the setting up of the judicial commission, the party will have to fight on two fronts; on the legal front where the PTI will fight its case to prove that the last elections were rigged, and politically, there will be no let-up in targeting the ruling party.

“In a couple of weeks, the final outcome in the NA-122 (Lahore) rigging controversy is due and we are hoping for a decision in our favour. That will actually determine the future contours of our battle with the PML-N from here,” a PTI office-bearer told Dawn.

On the directives of an election tribunal, thumb impressions on votes polled in NA-122 are being verified by Nadra.

According to one political commentator, if some people believed that the PTI would come back peacefully to the assemblies with the formation of the judicial commission, they were proven wrong on the very first day of their return to parliament.

Mr Khan, who at a press conference this Sunday said he strongly believed that 2015 was “the year of election”, would go to any extent to target the ruling PML-N in his verbal attacks, added the commentator.

On the other hand, a ruling party leader said the PML-N leadership was fully aware of the fact that PTI would not sit idle and pounce on any opportunity to come after the government.

Therefore, the PML-N source said, coming days will see more fireworks both within and outside parliament.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2015

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