Lahore: the epicentre of politics

Punjab saw three governments this year and the drama continues

Lahore: Lahore has once again proved that it isn’t only the country’s cultural hub but also the city with the most political happenings.

Throughout this year, the provincial capital remained at the centre of political activities.

In eight months, the provincial metropolis saw major changes in Punjab that brought about three provincial governments. Right at the start of 2022, on the heel of the change of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government through a vote of no-confidence, the then Punjab chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar resigned in March.

While offering the CM office to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), former premier Imran Khan made a well-calculated move to foil the no-confidence motion submitted against him in the National Assembly. Interestingly, Pervaiz Elahi had the same offer to become provincial chief executive from the then Punjab opposition parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

The PML-Q leader eventually accepted the PTI’s offer. A month later in April, Imran Khan became the first premier to be ousted from office through a vote of no-confidence in the lower house of the parliament. It was at this point that Lahore once again became the centre of attraction for political activities.

Then came the elections of the Punjab chief minister; at a time when the stakes were this high in Pakistani politics, the walled city became the heartland of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Through a controversial election, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif became the provincial chief executive.

The younger Sharif had secured over a dozen votes of disgruntled PTI leaders to secure the office. It was the first time in the country’s history that the duo of father and son, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, were holding the offices of PM and CM at the same time. Both the Sharifs belonged to Lahore.

The political whirlwind didn’t end there. Both the PTI and the PML-Q challenged the controversial ruling of the then-acting speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari in the Supreme Court (SC) due to which Hamza had become the CM.

Subsequently, the apex court gave its verdict in favour of Pervaiz Elahi for securing 186 votes against Hamza’s 179 votes. The SC held that ruling of the deputy speaker was illegal as 10 votes of the PML-Q members should have been counted.

Against the backdrop of allegations of ‘regime change’ conspiracy, PTI chose Lahore as their main battlefield to counter the PDM, particularly their rival PML-N.

The party held several rallies at the bastion of the PML-N and Lahore’s Liberty roundabout emerged as the ‘Times Square of Pakistan’ after April.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters of the PTI had gathered at Liberty the night Khan was overthrown from the PM house. It was the same place the PTI chief led the long march against the PDM government in which he eventually suffered bullet injuries in Wazirabad.

Subsequently, Liberty again came to the limelight when Khan chose the same place to announce the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies on December 17.

It is safe to say that the year 2022 dawned with a political crisis in the country and went down the same way.

Although the political pandemonium remained at the forefront in the provincial capital, the year brought some joy as well. Pakistan celebrated the platinum (75th) Independence Day in 2022. In March and September this year, Australian and English cricket teams travelled to Pakistan for a historical series after a gap of more than 24 and 17 years respectively.

Both cricket teams played in the walled city’s iconic Gaddafi stadium during their tours. It was 2009 when the visiting Sri Lanka national cricket team became the target of a terrorist attack near Gaddafi stadium. After this tragic incident, Pakistan became a no-go area for international sports events.

Also important is that Punjab’s chief city remained relatively peaceful throughout the year when it comes to public safety. Only one terrorist activity was reported in Anarkali Bazaar.

Renowned political analyst Salman Abid told Bol News that the provincial capital has always determined the politics of Islamabad.

“Whoever controls Lahore, read Punjab, controls the Centre. That individual who becomes the ruler of ‘Takht-e-Lahore’ has always ruled Pakistan.”

The analyst further said that Lahore had played a vital role in the rise of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s. “The same walled city played a significant role for Nawaz Sharif in the 90s and then for Imran Khan from 2011 onward.”

Lahore is the capital of the country’s politics, that’s why it’s the most important territory in Pakistan, he commented. “Powerful quarters always monitor the mode of the city closely to design their course of action.”

According to Abid, PTI has dented the stronghold of the PML-N and is now gaining more strength with every passing day. “This was quite evident from the recent by-elections where the party had won three out of four seats.”

He elaborated that the walled city has become the latest battlefield between the PML-N and the PTI where the latter is extending its arms over the former.

“Lahore is the trendsetter in our political system which is followed by the rest of the provincial capitals in Pakistan. After the entry of the youth in the political arena, particularly the followers of the PTI, its mode has been changing fast.”