Many felt Imran Khan was yet again swooping at an opportunity to unsaddle the prime minister in the wake of the Panama revelations. To attempt to do this for a second time is said to be ludicrous and politically eccentric. However, as the profundity of the Panama fiasco began to dawn on politicians and the public at large, dissenting voices began to rise and echo throughout Pakistan. The heavyweights stand head-to-head undaunted. On the one hand, government is aware that they must put up their best game and silence their doubters, and on the other, the opposition is confidently flexing its muscles with eagerness to boost its morale in knocking the government out. So whose arm will be raised skywards by the referee? A delicious series of political combat seems to be in store. PML-N party members were baffled, to say the least, to see the two opposition parties working collectively to remove the prime minister. PPP’s political stance on the Panama issue made some believe that it is a short-term bargaining tool; unfortunately, for the government this was not the case, as PPP leadership showed no signs of retreat. After the initial blow, the PML-N reevaluated its strategy. Government humoured the opposition with a ToR parliamentary committee on the Panama leaks with a tasteful outcome: no outcome at all. Somehow, the PML-N got up, its spirit and determination beyond question as it staggered back to its corner. The start to the second round has pretty much been the same as the first. The PTI went further, and filed a petition in the Election Commission (EC), followed by the PPP and PAT. Government recovered admirably from the sudden shock of PPP going against its leadership; the filing of a petition in the EC is a demonstration of the PPP intention to keep up the pace with the PTI in this anti-government campaign. This is worrisome for the government; most of the ruling senior party members believe that the PPP cannot afford an anti-government campaign in the name of the Panama leaks as it would be politically absurd for the party. Realisation struck like lightning; the “boy” who is leading the PPP campaign has, so far, clean hands and strangely enough, his father, Asif Ali Zardari, has detached himself from the issue. It is yet to be seen if and when he approaches the arena, as all eyes are on him to see which corner of the ring he decides to cheer. The opposition leader made a statement that the PPP would backtrack in the likelihood of an intervention by a third party. Alas, for the PML-N, the reassurances of the leader of the opposition have a placebo effect on its building anxiety, which is constantly being poked and aggravated by the force of media onslaught by Bilawal Bhutt-Zardari, Aitzaz Ahsan, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Latif Khosa. Uncertainty has begun to escalate in the government camp; despite showing mercy with regard to media-bashing of the top PPP leadership, it has been unable to halter its agenda to remove the prime minister. Bilawal has been told that the dynamics of Pakistani politics are determined by the state of Punjab, and the issue of Panama leaks perhaps is the last chance to rejuvenate the party in Punjab. The second round in the EC would possibly be again without result. It is unlikely that the EC would be keen to make any meaningful move in this respect. The statement of the secretary of the EC can only be interpreted as a premature dismissal. He highlighted the number of cases pending as being too many to accommodate a fresh petition; furthermore, he stated that the EC is incomplete due to recent retirement of four EC judges with no replacements as yet. The third round is anticipated to start with petitions against the prime minister and his family in the Supreme Court, and there would be no dancing around this time; the opposition will lunge forward with fearful battering. As the barrage continues, we must not underestimate the government’s level of endurance and ability to defend itself. Pervez Rasheed has delivered a strong message to the opposition that he and his party would certainly not wilt under pressure, and on the contrary it would lead to legal crossfire. The threat to drag the PTI and PPP in the legal battle is a deterring tactic, thus the creative ensemble of ugly cases against those who do not retreat is underway. The brazen attitude of the government is admirable: you’re either with us or you would be thrown into fiery litigation. The outright threat of exposure may weaken many politicians at the knees, with the exception of Imran Khan whose hands are clean on the matters of corruption. Palpitations in the PPP camp are highly likely, along with the MQM and ANP, although cases relevant to these parties are mostly out of the reach of the federal government. Legal experts believe that given the petitions on the Panama leaks land at the Apex court the superior court has a wide range of options: converting these petitions into applications thus directing the NAB or FIA to investigate within a given time frame; a referral to the election commission, where already multiple petitions are pending in a similar case. The Supreme Court may volunteer to make a powerful commission, directing all the investigation agencies to assist in the probe, but this is unlikely to happen considering that the same matter is pending with parliamentary committee for a unanimous outcome. On the contrary and certainly frustrating for many, there is also a possibility that the Supreme Court dismisses the petitions altogether as not being maintainable, and directs the petitioners take the matter to alternative relevant forums. While the political heavyweights are progressing to their respective corners of the boxing ring, it is only expected for there to be a rapid rush of adrenaline in the media industry, pulsating throughout the nation. The media has started to prepare its audience for a merciless fight, and the build up compels us to acknowledge that this time media would not play the role of a mere commentator or analyst. Anchors/media houses are likely to take their own principled positions; lines have already been drawn while maintaining their credibility. Prominent individuals in the media, be it print or electronic, have been marked; accessibility, however, is being examined on grounds of political loyalty and/or neutrality ever more so by the treasury benches. A task has been given to the senior party leadership to manage and engage the media industry; post-Eid, meetings with principle media persons would be summoned by the ministry, and of course, by the prime minister’s media cell, during which the ministry officials would be directed to ensure a positive public image of the government. It would be entertaining to see the state television boss juggle with credibility and illusion with regard to the PTV; it wouldn’t be inappropriate to suggest that the unchaste institution dances like a puppet speaking the language of its current master. Hence, it loses all its allure before a nation who is politically aware, and deeply value editorial morality. The pattern is so far set for the foreseeable future. Furious exchanges between the heavyweights and no substantial outcome, we can only hope the fight does not snowball into a slugfest. The third round is crucial, and has the power to save the country from another turmoil of agitation on the streets. The exhibit of street power would only darken the image of Pakistani politics throughout the world as a circumvented democracy. Imran Khan’s penchant for demonstrating his street power versus Nawaz Sharif’s determination to continue as prime minister would go down in Pakistani history as the clash of the titans. The mutual antipathy between the two sides has spilt over in some ugly scenes come the recent rounds, both fighters and corners involved in a fracas that does the image of the political sport no good. But in this power keg of an arena it has oddly become understandable. The writer is a media professional, and can be reached at ybmirza@gmail.com