The supervised meeting at Adiala Jail, after days of PTI spinning rumours, whisper campaigns, and manufactured anxiety, ended exactly as many expected: a choreographed encounter, a scripted assurance that Imran Khan is “perfectly fine,” and a fresh round of political theatre. This was not transparency. This was not accountability. This was, at best, damage control – and at worst, a transactional arrangement struck behind closed doors to silence one controversy and ignite another.
PTI has mastered the art of turning every institutional gesture into a political bargaining chip. The same meeting they desperately sought is now being used as fuel for fresh allegations. This duality. Begging for access one hour, claiming oppression the next has become their signature tactic. It keeps their base angry, keeps social media aflame, and keeps the party relevant even when it is failing at governance.
But the real tragedy of the day lies far from Adiala.
A brave, young officer – the kind of son this nation depends upon – was laid to rest. His sacrifice is not merely symbolic; it is the reason political parties, journalists, courts, and bureaucrats continue their work in peace. His martyrdom demanded solemnity, unity, and dignified presence from our political leadership.
And yet, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was nowhere to be seen.
This is precisely why PTI continuously pits itself against the system. Because the system, imperfect as it may be, still demands responsibility. PTI, unfortunately, does not.
Instead of standing with the bereaved family, instead of paying respects to a man who died defending the province he governs, he chose to visit the U.S. consulate. No matter how it is dressed up as “diplomatic routine,” “pre-scheduled engagement,” “provincial outreach,” the truth is unavoidable: the CM prioritised optics over obligation.
When a leader willingly chooses protocol over patriotism, it reveals a troubling hierarchy of loyalty. PTI’s leadership has, time and again, placed political narratives above national responsibilities. By missing the funeral, the CM broadcast not just disregard for a fallen soldier but disregard for the values that bind Pakistan together.
PTI thrives on perpetual confrontation. It needs conflict like an addict needs a fix. If there is no crisis, it will manufacture one. If there is no victimhood, it will invent it. If there is no oppression, it will create the illusion of it. This strategy keeps the party relevant but also keeps the country on edge.
Pakistan today faces no shortage of challenges. Economic hardship, geopolitical uncertainty, and internal security threats. These demand sobriety, unity, and maturity. Yet PTI’s leadership appears allergic to all three.
What did the nation witness today?
While the system remained focused on counterterrorism, constitutional procedures, and institutional stability, PTI was busy staging political melodrama:
rumour-mongering about jail conditions;
press conferences full of exaggerations;
social media hysteria;
a CM chasing applause at a consulate instead of honouring a martyr.
It is this stark contrast between national duty and PTI’s theatrics that exposes the party’s priorities.
Pakistan’s institutions, from the armed forces to the judiciary to the administrative machinery, continue to hold the country together. They function despite immense pressure. They sacrifice without fanfare. They maintain stability even when politics descends into chaos.
PTI’s disagreement is not with injustice – it is with accountability.
Its fight is not with corruption – it is with consequences.
Its anger is not about principles – it is about power.
And this is precisely why PTI continuously pits itself against the system. Because the system, imperfect as it may be, still demands responsibility. PTI, unfortunately, does not.
The writer is a freelance columnist.