Putting out the fire
Imran Khan considers the Panama leaks as a God-sent opportunity which he wants to use if possible to have snap elections, and, in any case, for creating public opinion hostile to the government and favouarble for the PTI. The threat of holding a sit-in outside Sharif family’s Raiwind residence when the rest of the opposition seems to be doing little besides issuing statements is aimed at achieving these two objectives. Imran Khan would not have delayed the sit-in if he was sure of the support of the opposition or of the masses for the call. In the absence of that he is keeping the threat for sit-in lingering while he prepares the ground by holding public rallies beginning from Lahore.
The opposition wants a probe against Nawaz Sharif’s scions in the hope that it would implicate Nawaz Sharif and reduce the PMLN’s influence. . However, no opposition party is willing to allow the PTI to use the issue for its exclusive benefit. The JUIF and ANP are jealous of the PTI for occupying their traditional turf in KP and are bent upon recovering it in the next elections. They would in no case support the PTI’s sit-in. The PPP is keen to put its house in order before the elections instead of frittering away its energies in agitation. It has rejected the TORs announced by the government and has called upon the government to formulate them in consultation with the opposition. The JI wants the Prime Minister to hand over powers to someone else from the PMLN pending the probe but remains non-committal over the issue of joining the PTI’s sit-in.
Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif has announced he would hold public rallies all over the country to put up a show of strength. This is unwise as it would add further to the ongoing confrontation. The best way out for the PMLN is to enter into talks with the opposition over the TORS as the ones announced by the government are unrealistic and are aimed at putting an end to the probe.
