Imran Khan coming to his senses, finally
It was a big contrast when Imran Khan addressed a convention from a regular rostrum in an Islamabad hotel instead of the D-Chowk from a container. The change of the venue signified the end of the sit-ins. No one knows what the party would do now. The change of tactics has been obviously dictated by the situation prevailing in the country which demands national unity. The PTI legislators will not however return to the National Assembly before the finalisation of the report of the proposed judicial commission. This signifies that a low intensity confrontation with the government will continue. For Imran Khan this is going to be a high stakes battle. However after the colourful rallies where Khan lambasted the government amidst thunderous plaudits, what lies ahead is a war of attrition with long dull sieges, waiting, and boredom.
Khan had led his followers to believe that the victory against the government was imminent. The party was told Nawaz Sharif would be forced to quit within months if not weeks. Quite a few among the activists are dejected. The elected party leaders are clueless while those hoping to be elected to the Senate are unhappy. Imran Khan was shocked to find hostile parents shouting “Go, Imran go” outside Army Public School, Peshawar. He may have been right when he observed that the APS was specifically under the army’s control, and not the KP government’s but this would hardly satisfy those who were told that with the PTI in the driving seat everything would be honky-dory in the province.
Imran Khan has not been able to provide a new line of action to the PTI. He still wants judicial commission and has warned of a countrywide shut down if it’s not set up. There are however no deadlines this time. Khan wants to concentrate on KP where he would ensure that streets are properly cleaned, one billion trees planted and Local Government elections held. The plan may be realistic but to a party used to feverish activity, it might be below expectations.