Coming full circle?
It did not seem very likely not too long ago, but the judicial commission that has obsessed PTI since last year’s dharna days is all but a certainty. However, that hardly means that all outstanding questions have been answered, not the least about the legitimacy of Nawaz’s heavy mandate. It’s still far from clear, for example, whether or not PTI will honour one of its many claims about returning to the Assembly. That is tricky, because while PTI promised, on one occasion, that it would return upon formulation of the commission, it has also tied, on other occasions, the return with a result of the commission’s findings. So it’s a tricky wicket that kaptan has chosen to bat on.
It is also important to give credit where it is due. Imran, and his party, is clearly deeply committed to its brand of politics; whether or not it is the ideal way forward for a supposedly ‘tsunami party’ is another matter altogether. But, through sheer force and persistence, PTI cornered the ruling party to such an extent that the latter could no longer dilly-dally. Pundits were sure, even when Imran’s street power was at its peak, that Nawaz would never green-light a process that might even remotely question his government’s legitimacy. However, it seems, at least according to credible chatter, that threats of more street protests finally got those who matter to put the squeeze on the N-league.
How both parties now react to whatever the commission finds will be interesting. In the case it turns out that Imran’s suspicions got the better of him, should we expect him to accept the decision or accuse the commission of match-fixing as well? And, on the other hand, if the ruling party is indeed at the helm because of rigging, how swiftly will it accept the verdict? Or will there be more accusations and counter accusations? The matter has hardly come full circle with the commission. It has, if anything, raised more questions. How long it takes to investigate, and how both parties behave in the meantime, will tell a lot.
