System at stake
The PML-N government has failed to draw the right lessons from the confrontation in Faisalabad as the statements of various party leaders show. It was a blunder to encourage the PML-N activists to confront the protesters which led to a tragic death. The violence that followed caused the closure of the city markets which otherwise would not have happened in a dominantly pro-PML-N Faisalabad.
Use of street power to quell the opposition’s protests is a characteristic of fascist rather than democratic governments. Even the use of state machinery to quell public unrest needs to be avoided as much as possible by a democratic administration. Elected governments have to resolve the differences with the opposition through give and take.
The arrogance in the PML-N leadership has already led to two tragic incidents, at Model Town, Lahore, and in Faisalabad. In the first case the Punjab government relied on police to crush its opponents, and in the second on club wielding PML-N supporters. The way the government managed to abruptly prorogue the NA session to avoid hearing the Opposition’s views regarding the Faisalabad incident shows once again how little importance the ruling party gives to Parliament.
The PTI is no less intolerant of those critical of its policies. Both have to realise that the sole beneficiary from their escalating face-off would be the forces opposed to the democratic system.
Faisalabad was step one of Imran Khan’s Plan C. He has a Plan D up his sleeve if this plan fails. While the tussle can bring down the system, the first casualty would be the highly complacent PML-N government. The PML-N therefore needs to take the initiative to settle the issue of the disputed constituencies with the PTI. Delaying tactics would not pay as the case of NA-122 would show. Imran Khan needs to understand that he too would be a loser in case the system is wrapped up, which may not take long if there is no end to no-holds-barred fighting. There is a dire need on the part of the two parties to initiate the suspended dialogue urgently.
