ISLAMABAD - The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Tuesday finally appeared to have found the bearings as it attempted to isolate PTI within the National Assembly and urged it to opt for dialogue instead of confrontation on the streets.
There was an outcry from opposition on imposition of Article 245 or calling out the army in Islamabad ahead of PTI's long march in Islamabad. Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah demanded of the government to immediately withdraw the imposition of Article 245.
Although the government has requisitioned deployment of army in Islamabad, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq seemed undisturbed by the opposition and gave extra time to debate Article 245 prompting Zahid Hamid, Minister for Science and Technology, to move a motion and suspend the routine business of the house in order to discuss deployment of military.
The treasury benches were aware that the more Article 245 is discussed, the more would PTI get isolated as the decision to call out army in Islamabad had apparently been taken to tackle the diehard supporters of Imran Khan that will converge on the city on Independence Day.
Khurshid Shah declared that PPP will leave all parties behind in staging a protest demonstration if the decision to deploy military in the federal capital is not taken back.
Sheikh Rashid, a strong ally of Imran Khan, surprisingly objected to military's presence in Islamabad; perhaps, he was not aware that later Imran Khan would address a press conference and would show no concern over the army deployment in Islamabad.
Lawmakers, during their speeches in the house, linked the invocation of article 245 with the protest march of PTI although Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan clarified that military had been assigned the security of Islamabad to thwart any terrorist attack.
Although Minister of Defense Khwaja Asif and Railway Minister Saad Rafique explained in detail the deployment of army in Islamabad, yet it was not clear as to who had actually summoned military to Islamabad.
And as usual, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who later called on Prime Minsiter Nawaz Sharif, explained it between the lines. "Article 245 has been imposed and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take political leadership in confidence in this regard," Achakzai said amid hinting at possible threats to the Constitution.
Achakzai's remarks proved to have carried weight as after the adjournment of National Assembly session, heads of political forces including Achakzai himself, Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Khurshid Shah called on the premier in Islamabad.
The nationalist leader asked political parties in the house to join hands against those who undermine the Constitution whether he is Imran Khan or a Canadian revolutionist or even Nawaz Sharif.
Inside the lower house, where opposition feared a possible threat to democracy in the wake of article 245 coupled with PTI's long march, MNA Awab Alvi from Karachi had to assure the house that the only reason behind PTI taking to streets in the capital was to ensure transparent election process in the country.
Alvi is one of the PTI's nominees in the Election Reforms Committee constituted by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on the recommendations of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for taking all parties on board to bring election reforms in country.
Khwaja Saad Rafique, in an apparent gesture towards PTI, said that while the country was going through a war-like situation, attacks on elected government would further plunge the country into turmoil.
MQM's Rashid Ahmed Godel advised PTI to resolve its issues with the government through a democratic way and avoid politics of confrontation so that democracy is given a chance to deliver in a country infested with military coups.