Daily Times

The PTI has sputtered and fumbled through three years of shaky and uncertain rule over Pakistan. Their impression in the very first few months was that of a confused baby, stepping into administration and understandably so. Yet it was so disappointing to see them look almost shell-shocked before the continuing power displays by the discredited and popularly rejected Sharifs and their Party’s leading figures. Nawaz Sharif still moved around with PM’s police escorts in dozens of jet black Land Cruiser convoys even for court trials. Roads were still being lined by the police and traffic was blocked. Jails were their rest houses and party conferences venues. There were no limits on how many people and on what days could visit them in custody. Jail rules were thrown out of the window and courtrooms continued to be used for political brinkmanship and pressers. Many bent backward to provide Sharifs with unprecedented relief. Nawaz Sharif’s Rs 50 surety bond before he hoodwinked the state and judiciary to escape to the UK on fake illness is a joke. Similarly dismal is Hamza Sharif being granted bail on a Sunday. Such concessions are completely unheard of.

Rana Sana Ullah was allegedly caught with sacks full of contraband drugs loaded in his personal Land Cruiser years ago but can still not be indicted because the Narcotics court judges are “routinely” transferred before the next hearing. Can anyone deny unholy collusion? But more than that, who can absolve the Federal and Provincial administrations of incompetence and lack of courage to stand up to these bullies and thugs?

There is a concurrent PTI clamor repeated ad nauseam about billions of dollars pilfered by Sharifs and Zardaris, and determination to recover the same, day in and day out. The result is a dismal failure to get anywhere near them by miles and an object of popular ridicule and jokes. Do they realize people have lost interest in their corruption rant? The refrain that NS cheated them to go abroad only shows them as lightweight men who shirk shouldering responsibility for their own cabinet decision.At that level, one can not palm off the responsibility of his decision to others.

TTP has run out of liberty of action in Afghanistan under the Taliban and is seeking breathing space in Pakistan to regroup.

After a flurry of embarrassing scams like sugar, atta, LNG, and Rawalpindi Ring Road PTI’s latest pithless performance has been the entire spectrum of handling of TLP agitation culminating in “successful negotiations”

or shall we say state capitulation? In the history of governance, this ugly episode will go down as the worst example of a state buckling down before a bunch of loud-mouthed wild mullahs. The PTI was warned not to bow to their blackmail as they are an odious mob and any concession will be seen as a sign of weakness. It has confirmed our original observation into a conclusion that PTI was just an agitating mob and had terribly wobbly legs.

It was also pointed out that such concessions will embolden other murderous legions in this bloodthirsty horde. Which is what has already started. Jamaat e Ahle Sunnat has threatened agitation if banned Sipahe Sahaba is not delisted. Similarly, the MQM has demanded the reopening of their sealed offices and the withdrawal of sedition cases against their leaders. Meanwhile, boxy Punjab CM has quietly withdrawn reference against semi-militant Ansar ul Islam, JUI(F)’s militant arm as if it was weighing down on him.

To add yet another feather of felony and possibly their crowning political folly will be opening a dialogue with TTP fugitives after announcing an intention to grant general amnesty if they lay down their arms. There could be nothing more harebrained and shortsighted than this ill-considered initiative. The fact is that TTP has run out of liberty of action in Afghanistan under the Taliban and is seeking breathing space in Pakistan to regroup. If that is so then TTP’s recent willingness to talk and ceasefire is merely tactical ploys. They have a habit and a history of breaking such agreements at will and at their own convenience. Like the proverbial Arab’s camel, once pardoned, TTP will penetrate and spread out into our interior, and resultant inevitable conflagration will be awfully bloody and uncontrollable.

PTI will be well advised to seriously rethink their recent initiatives and not fall into the twin TLP -TTP bear trap for whatever reason it might be. The country can not afford another round of APS massacres, IED explosions, kidnappings for ransom, PAF base attacks, GHQ raid, and targeted killings.

The writer can be reached at clay.potter@hotmail.com