One after another, there appears to be no end to Imran’s shenanigans
Over a month of sit-in and Imran Khan has yet to achieve his unrealistic aim of forcing Nawaz Sharif to resign. Right from the beginning the PTI chief miscalculated his strength as he had done earlier during the May 2013 elections. His claim to collect a million marchers turned out to be an illusion. While kicking off the March from Lahore on August 14 Imran reiterated his demand that the prime minister resigned and members of the Election Commission quit “before I reach Islamabad”. On reaching Islamabad he announced one date after another when the “third empire” was to raise his finger. This too turned out to be a fantasy.
The tactics Imran Khan employed during the sit-in failed to work. The lawn of the Parliament House and the road leading to the Supreme Court gate occupied by the protesters had to be vacated under Parliament’s pressure and the apex court’s orders. The protesters had also to vacate the front of the Prime Minister’s House. The vandalism inside the PTV Headquarters was universally condemned. Imran’s demand for resignation from PTI MNAs led three party parliamentarians to defect. The exposure of the forces behind Imran Khan’s protests by PTI President Javed Hashmi was a major setback for the party.
Encouraged by the ISPR statement that the army did not favour any political party embroiled in the conflict, the government initiated arrests of the protesters. On Tuesday while the PTI chief Imran appealed to the SC to play its role in stopping police brutality against the protesters, he also threatened of civil war in the country if justice was denied. Use of force by the government is unfortunate while Imran Khan’s indulgence in a dangerous fantasy would further weaken the PTI and bring bad name to politicians. The internal and external dangers facing the country require that the two protesting leaders and the government return to the negotiating table for purposeful talks leading to the resolution of the impasse.
