As the red carpet unrolls for the most prestigious position-holder in this land to tie together his no-questions-asked support for the democracy regardless of who comes out on top, one is forced to wonder how hard it must have hit the Banigala base. It is precisely because of the one-page ballads sung during the last three-and-a-half years that the former prime minister’s antagonistic preaching to the masses has immediately raised some important eyebrows. Rawalpindi has been acting quite reasonably until now, making its case as a pro-people institution whose only responsibility is to assure them a good night’s sleep as its jawans lionheartedly stand in the line of fire. But considering the growing tenacity of homegrown fifth-generation warfare that is busy blowing every word atrociously out of proportion, a head-on collision can well be expected. While the ISPR is meticulously dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s, the accusations continue to snowball and the slogans are getting dirtier by the day. What Mr Khan and his commanders are reluctant in broadcasting to “jampacked” audiences is painted by their lieutenants on the walls of social media. In the bloodiest of the red possible. That the viral hashtag is slinging mud in a new direction altogether is known to all, including (apparently) the COAS. Whether this categorical harping to the same buzzwords would continue in Lahore remains to be seen but to see his young, overly emphatic soldiers take their pick of vile arrows and shoot them with blindfolds on is a beyond sad sight. Because as international media makes a mockery of an existential crisis with colourful headlines and the Pakistani diaspora in the West enjoys a field day with its pro-Imran rallies, the most important takeaway has apparently gotten lost. It is not the job of the head of our armed forces to fixate upon the importance of the economy or suggest ways to become self-reliant. To this nation’s greatly unfortunate turned tables, however, the lines between rights and duties tend to get mixed every now and then. For now, the state is being called upon to put an end to this bonanza of speculations, which is itself busy battling the multi-headed serpent of political anarchy day in, day out. *