Daily Times

The recent call for a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Islamabad on November 24 shows that the party has not given up its infatuation with street agitation. Imran Khan also stated through her sister Aleema Khan and lawyer Faisal Chaudhry that the protests will be there until the fulfilment of their demands. These include the withdrawal of the 26th constitutional amendment, the release of imprisoned PTI workers and leaders and righting the supposed usurpation of their mandate.

No doubt, Imran Khan’s party has been through the worst kind of political victimization. Courts have failed to protect the party from oppression. While political actions, such as protests, are considered a right democratic expression, the dependence on street agitation as a repetitive tool by PTI shrinks the outcomes realized by significant margins. If the protests of the past had accomplished their purpose, there would have not been a necessity for the one scheduled on November 24. The plea for global protests by some sections of PTI sympathizers and supporters might attract some interest, but in all probability, it will not help end the prevailing political impasse.

The act of taking to the streets in protest, more so under extreme heat, could be very exhausting not just to those directly involved but to even the average citizen. Most protests go out of order, even in the presence of the good sense of the participants. It is the raucous followers of the party in agitation and the violent repression by the state, all of which interfere with the normal order of people’s life abyss. History shows that such agitation is rarely constructive. It merely disturbs and alienates.

All political activity operates in a zone of conversation, and compromise, sometimes in a struggle but also through discussions. It is time for the PTI to give up street politics and begin using backdoor politics with other political parties. More political solutions that are constructive and proactive can lead to a quicker resolution to the political issue at hand for PTI and the entire country. Political parties should realize the importance of dialogue and not create situations where force is the answer.

The reversal of the 26th amendment or the reinstatement of their mandate looks unlikely without political consensus being reached. The PTI should consider reaching out to political parties. *