On course for another collision
If, as Imran Khan said in Islamabad, the ball is indeed in Mian sahib’s court, and nothing short of a process that ensures the latter’s resignation will make the former back down, then perhaps another confrontation is the most likely continuation. And going by the atmosphere leading to the march – accusations and counter-accusations – neither side seems too eager to talk to the other right now. Yet some senior ministers did hint at the possibility of negotiations in the next few days, so at least one ball will be in Imran’s court as well as the week rolls on.
The N-league must realise that it stands to lose more than PTI if the situation worsens. Imran’s Plan-C, threatening to shut down important cities and then the whole country, is clearly meant to provoke the government into over-reaching, with the agitating party no doubt posturing to exploit the aftermath. Not only would that add to the ruling party’s already unimpressive list of using force and muscle, it would also deepen the paralysis that is keeping it from governing. And in the long run, the ruling party would still get the short end of the stick. It is, therefore, mandatory that Nawaz takes the small window for discussions seriously. And this time the negotiations will have to be more credible than last time, and actions must be seeing following words. His troubles will mount geometrically from here if the elections stay uninvestigated.
As for PTI, it must realise that threats ranging from civil disobedience to shutting down the whole country will hurt the people it claims to represent and protect far more than N-leaguers it is bent upon ousting. Imran understands well how his Plans A and B worked out. True, he has weakened the Sharifs. But that should be followed by pursuing legal and parliamentary routes to finish the job, rather than grinding the entire country to a halt, and invite political chaos that can benefit nobody in the long run. While the government must now ensure that election rigging is investigated to everybody’s satisfaction, PTI must also understand that it can realistically have only one plan, not A,B or C, and that means taking its case off the streets now and back into parliament. Otherwise it will be responsible in no small manner for the chaos that will accompany the confrontation as it goes about shutting down Pakistan.
