Vast time when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif invited his political rival Asif Ali Zardari to dinner it was to say farewell to him as the former president. And Mr Zardari toasted Mr Sharif by repeating the rallying cry of his host’s PML-N party, ‘Nawaz Sharif qadam barhao hum tumharay saath heain’ (‘Move forward Nawaz Sharif, we are with you’).

That sounded mischievous at the time. But that is what most hackers read when the two rivals met again on Wednesday. After all the meeting took place in an atmosphere depicted in a newspaper cartoon to make fun of the PML-N government’s claim that the civilian and military leaderships were “on the same page” on the burning issues facing the country. It showed the two sides on the same page but with their backs on each other.

However, to some, the meeting reflected more the prime minister’s desire to seek cooperation of the opposition in the economic development plans and in the legislative business than meeting any threat to the civilian dispensation.

It is evident that the ruling PML-N cannot hope the Senate to pass its controversial Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) that it rammed through the National Assembly recently.

Political observers agree that its own misrule and propaganda by its opponents led to PPP’s defeat in the 2013 general election but many acknowledge that the PPP, with just 120 members in the National Assembly, did great legislative work during 2008-2013. With the help of its coalition partners it managed to pass 93 acts – and the 18th Constitution Amendment – the jewel of all that work – with the consent of the PML-N then the main opposition.

The PPP always sought across the aisle endorsement of the important legislation by the PML-N-led opposition benches, that is remembered as the highlight of the previous National Assembly proceedings.

Now the PML-N is in the driving seat at the centre, for the third time, after a hiatus of almost 15 years. But it looks as though the party’s headstrong leadership refuses to shed its knack for picking up fights when none is needed. That was what was on display on April 7 when it bulldozed the infamous PPO, which stood the chance of sailing through with a little bit of consideration for others’ views.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has acted wise by promising Zardari to review the PPO. But since the PPP had announced to oppose the bill in its current form, the ruling party should have listened to their concerns and found some common ground.

In contrast, the PPP always reached to the PML-N for the passage of bills on matters relatively as insignificant as the Defence Housing Authority Islamabad Act and as important as Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2013.

Throughout five years that the PPP ruled, the PML-N opposed the government bill to provide constitutional cover to the DHA, Islamabad. As the then Leader of the Opposition, incumbent interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, always derided the bill as a law to benefit a certain class.

Though the PPP, with its simple majority in both the houses of parliament, could have easily passed the anti-terrorism amendment bill, it waited until March 2013 to get the PML-N assent to the bill. Chaudhry Nisar accepted that the final draft of the bill accommodated the changes the opposition had proposed.

The Anti-Terrorism (amendment) 2013 Act related to seizure of properties of the terrorist suspects.

On some issues, the PPP too tried to have a solo flight. For example it hurriedly passed the Contempt of Court Act 2012 to save its prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, from the contempt of court proceedings, only to be declared ‘null and void’ by the Supreme Court.

A top advisor to the PML-N admitted to the party leadership having “shades of stubbornness” which, at times, cost the party heavily. This confrontational mood primarily led to the sacking of the PML-N’s two earlier governments.

So what is the hope for the new bonhomie between the PML-N and PPP?

“Yes, a few, but highly influential, in the PML-N were absolutely against PM Nawaz Sharif meeting with Mr Zardari again,” disclosed a PML-N leader. “But what they did shows at least the elder Sharif is interested in peaceful co-existence.”