The issue of mistrust and abuse of power
The government’s patience with the PTI and PAT protests is wearing thin. The methods it has employed so far to get rid of them have failed to work. Talks with PTI have remained inconclusive. What is more there was no respite meanwhile to Imran Khan’s rhetoric who continues to insist that he would not agree to anything less than the prime minister’s resignation. The use of force leading to the arrest of the PTI and PAT workers backfired. This led Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan to break off talks with the government team and the opposition political jirga. Both sides are now approaching the courts to get cases registered. The PAT has succeeded in nominating Mian Nawaz Sharif and some of the ministers in the alleged murder of its three activists. The government has got a case registered against PTI chief for getting his activists in police custody released. Islamabad High Court has ordered the bailing out of over 650 protesters arrested for violation of Section 144. The court has further observed that it would not let the authorities make arbitrary arrests.
Ishaq Dar claims that with the capital paralysed the government has been unable to meet its growth targets. According to him Pakistan cannot afford to lose one more day. The prime minister holds the protesters responsible for the postponement of the Chinese president’s visit. He maintains that one party alone is bringing the progress of this nation to a halt. For him it is not hard to clear the containers and protesters but the government has restrained itself.
The government wants the opposition to support action against the protesters. The opposition is wary on account of the excesses the government has shown itself to be capable of committing. What roils the opposition further is the aggressive behaviour of some of the ministers. The Parliament’s joint session will therefore have to hold more sittings before it concludes how to cope with the impasse.
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