Daily Times

No one expected the cricket kaptaan to stay in the dressing room for long after he was ducked out of the power headquarters last month. And quite interestingly, where his governance did not earn him many golden stars, his street power has broken all records. Lording over his phenomenal cult-like following with a smug smile, former prime minister Imran Khan has now decided to strike at the very citadel itself.

Though he keeps preaching songs of peace and national interests, what this storming of the capital would achieve other than further tightening the screws of an already careworn government is not clear enough. The agenda does not end with political invasion alone because Mr Khan would not rest until he achieves the announcement of the early election. So what if this disruption of day-to-day affairs comes at the cost of severing the hotline to the IMF.

It has taken a lot of blood, sweat and diplomatic goodwill to earn the right to knock at the economic ICU again. To date, this golden opportunity depends on constructive talks with its mission in Islamabad. Would any organisation with even a bare minimum of far-sightedness willingly drag its feet through troubled waters? Rubbing the genie might miraculously work and earn the opposition its magical wish. But the interim command cannot be indulged in any lasting measures as it lacks both political capital and the future security to assure investors.

Seemingly, the PTI has considerable grounds to put a dent in the ruling PML (N)’s any and all attempts to resuscitate the economy. Because the successful one becomes in breathing new life in inflation-ravaged indices, the sorely other would lose in pulling crowds to its campaign.

Even now, if the government cracks its whip and unleashes a series of crackdowns, Mr Khan’s narrative would enjoy it like a heavenly blessing. His past attempts to set up camp in the vicinity of the Red Zone saw some bizarre (borderline anti-national) tactics that ranged from bills-burning to unleashing naked threats of violence.

Who knows what the grand agenda would touch upon this time? Cutting Rawalpindi from Islamabad? Laying the landmines for horrific bouts of violence? Opening the spillways to areas of commerce? The horrifying list goes on and on. *