In the fight between PML-N and PTI, the only loser is the country itself
The shutdown in Faisalabad would show how Imran Khan intends to implement the Plan C announced by him last week. Opposition from sober elements in the PTI led Khan to subsequently water down his announcement that had amounted to sheer brinkmanship. Nevertheless, what the original announcement did was to make the PML-N hawks go back on ‘no talks under threat’. The PML-N suddenly agreed to talks. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that dialogue could resume soon after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country from the UK. But once it appeared that the PTI would do no more than blocking the arteries in the cities, the PML-N strategists again changed their line of action. They decided to wait and see how things worked out in Faisalabad. The outcome would determine whether the PML-N would initiate talks or wait till the PTI lost steam like PAT. This led Imran Khan to again change his stand. Despite an assurance that markets would not be affected by the shutdown, Imran Khan announced that the shops would observe shutter down strike on Monday.
Both sides have spent the last two days in shadow boxing with one announcing what they were going to do and the other what they would not be permitted to do. Meanwhile there has been enough tension in Faisalabad. Activists of the PTI and PML-N have had a heated exchange of slogans at Ghanta Ghar Chowk. The pro-government traders vowed to foil any attempt at forcible closure of the markets. Banners have been put in the city both in support and opposition of the shutdown. Minor clashes cannot be ruled out under the circumstances. What needs to be ensured, however, is that there is no recourse to firearms.
The PTI and PML-N have to bring the faceoff to an end at the earleist. In a tension-ridden environment any major untoward incident could put the initiative into the hands of the mobs. To avoid the situation it is imperative for the two sides to resolve their differences urgently through talks.
