Change of plans

In the game of thrones, it’s the pawn that takes the brunt

The political landscape of Pakistan has heated as November 2 approached. The game was on and burgeoning. Government had taken the decision to stop the agitation with an iron hand. State machinery was used in plenty against the political opponents. State opted for largely anticipated choice – which was to stop the protestors, by each mean, before the commencement of show.

Confidence assesses the strength specially in politics. Anything above or below the normal range of confidence can either make you fall a little short or far from objective. It is like a game of chess where you have to measure the outcome of not only the next move, but many moves ahead of it.

In the case of Imran Khan, over confidence has played the major part of falling away from the target.

It wouldn’t be odd to say that Imran Khan couldn’t keep up with his tall claims. He failed to mobilise people in contrast to his effective show of Raiwand. Why has this fate fallen upon him?

Imran Khan should have been a little mobile rather than staying stationery at his residence. The lockdown that he brought upon himself has served him badly in terms of little mobilisation of workers. On the top of the self-imposed fiasco, the main leadership of Tehreek-e-Insaf remaining in Bani Galla as opposed to being with workers has induced more damage.

While the game of power was in the heat of moment, the state was also going through numerous options. It appears they have learned from their past such as when resistance policy had caused Aabpara and Blue Area to be closed to the general public for many weeks, causing great frustration to business owners and public. They had taken up the decision to go for a full on crackdown in every city in the absence of main leadership hence dividing the protestors.

What could have been evaded in the events that were unfurling rapidly, is the crack down on democratically elected CM of KP. The message that went to the province from the federation had grave consequences and the result is a fall out beyond repair.

The ethnic slogan was already raised by CM KP – which should have been denounced. But on contrary it was endorsed by the state itself by the means of stupefied attempt to stop the CM from entering the capital. The aggressive use of state police against the sitting CM of KP doesn’t represent the democracy but a monarchy where the differences of opinion is not respected, rather shut by the use of force.

Now the Supreme Court has taken the matters in its own hands. With the ambitious directive of Supreme Court to government and the opposition to agree on Terms of Reference, the power game goes into another stage. It has now become the game of nerves where the strongest prevails.

The time span for the commission is not defined and probably cannot be defined and as usual the government will opt for dilatory tactics. Khan’s motive is clearly evident: he doesn’t want Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister. He has played every format against him, shorter T20s and longer test matches however futile. He has tried the public on the roads – with sit-ins and now putting all hopes in the Supreme Court. The biggest question is: If the Supreme Court vindicates Nawaz Sharif once again, would Imran Khan be willing to respect the decision?

The political show has come to a calmer end now. Imran Khan has changed the 2^nd November protest to thanksgiving. The decision turned out to be unpopular as many TV anchors and staunch PTI supporters flooded twitter with great criticism on the choice. Perhaps we as a nation find peace in chaos. We like to celebrate the blockades and mayhem as an excuse to avoid work. We like to glue to television screens to enjoy the sheer change of emotions every few minutes by the changing situations, as presented by TV anchors loud as tumults.

The victory is being claimed by Imran Khan whilst Ch. Nisar terms it as a victory for Pakistan. But is it really a victory? In the game of thrones, nobody feels for the ordinary political worker who is crushed by both sides. He is used as a pawn – the pawn which is sacrificed to deceive the opponent for a more substantial move of knight. He is used as front line of defense but his sacrifice is not aggrieved, perhaps this is the reason no PTI official paid homage to hundreds of workers who were subject to brutal shelling of government. After all, an ordinary worker is nothing but a pawn in this great game.