Daily Times

The new narrative being propagated by the PTI chairman Imran Khan–which he believes people would buy without raising any eyebrows– is that a plot has been hatched to orchestrate a clash between Army and PTI and if it succeeds, it would lead to blood-shed in the country.

Clash between a political party and Army in the given circumstances, is the last thing that any patriotic citizen would desire to see. The insinuation is that the PDM parties are trying to enforce that eventuality. Is it really so or a political ploy to blame the opponents for the follies that the PTI has committed itself? The question merits an anodyne appraisal of the events and the statements of Imran Khan since his removal as Prime Minister through a vote of no-confidence.

Imran started with the claim that his removal had been orchestrated through a conspiracy hatched by US which was carried to its logical end by the PDM parties. Then he asserted that the establishment whom he called ‘neutrals’ was also part of the conspiracy and eventually also dragged India and Israel into it. He is on record to have claimed from every convenient roof-top that only the animals are neutral, meaning thereby that the establishment had acted like animals by not preventing his exit. In each his public he has been heaping scorn on the establishment and urging it to rectifying the mistake that they had made. Then came the enactment by his chief disciple Shahbaz Gill who openly tried to create wedge between the Army top brass and the ranks by inciting the latter not to obey the alleged illegal orders of the top command. It is tantamount to fomenting rebellion within the establishment which has led to his arrest. In view of the foregoing realities it will not be inappropriate to infer that the PTI itself, more so Imran, is responsible for the claimed clash between Army and PTI. The rhetoric has gained greater intensity after the arrest of Shahbaz Gill.

A clash between a political party and Army is the last thing that any patriotic citizen would desire to see.

Addressing a public rally in Islamabad he even hurled threats at IG and DIG Islamabad and also Judge Zeba Chaudhry who remanded Gill in police custody for two days. No nobody in his right mind can endorse that lose cannon like disposition. Hurling insults on government functionaries and even the judges is ultimate madness unbecoming of a leader of Imran’s stature. People expect more civilized conduct from him and behavior according to the established political norms within the confines of law and constitution. Regrettably his record in this regard is quite dismal.

The reality is that contrary to the relentless efforts by his die hard supporters and some hired pseudo intellectuals to portray him as ‘Admirable Crichton’ he has proved to be a power hungry man who believes in having his way by hook and crook. He is responsible for introducing violence in Pakistani politics and has pummeled all the democratic norms during his three and half years rule. He has transformed political rivalry into political enmity and pushed the opposition to the wall by instituting false cases against its leaders. No wonder the high courts and the apex courts while hearing the NAB cases have been repeatedly observing that the bureau was being used for political engineering. As is evident Imran is himself responsible for the fate that he has met and the likely political mayhem in the country as a result of the confrontation between federal and Punjab government which he is hell bent to foment.

The institution of cases against PML (N) legislators in Punjab as a retaliatory measure against arrest of Shahbaz Gill is an ominous development and is likely to add exponentially to the already volatile political atmosphere in the country. I think Imran Khan needs to introspect his strategy to heap scorn on the state institutions and refusing to talk to his political opponents. Ultimately it will not only lead to undermining the national interests but also his own relevance to the future landscape of the country. He needs to heed the observations of the apex court during hearing of his reference in regards to the amendments made by the PDM government to the NAB laws, suggesting PTI’s return to the National Assembly and settling the political issues at that forum. Imran Khan including almost all the PTI legislators are still member of the parliament except those whose resignations have been notified by the ECP.

There is no way of resolving the contentious political issues and ending the ambience of political confrontation in the country except through engagement between all the political parties and using the forum of the parliament to introduce the required reforms on which there is national consensus before going into the next general elections. The demand by Imran Khan for immediate elections makes no sense in view of his declaration fact that PTI would not contest elections under his supervision of the incumbent CEC; a proposition which seems untenable in view of the fact that the PTI contested by-elections in Punjab under the same set-up and is also vying for contesting nine national assembly seats under his supervision.

Imran needs to understand that the removal of the CEC, unless he resigns of his own free will, is a very difficult undertaking. A reference has to be made to the Supreme Judicial Council either on health grounds or the CEC being guilty of misconduct which has to be substantiated with solid evidence. Even after the dismissal of the CEC by President on the recommendation of the SJC in case of guilty verdict, a proper procedure as laid down in the constitution regarding appointment of a new CEC needs to be followed. It entails consensus between the sitting Prime Minister and the opposition leader and in case of disagreement between them the matter has to be decided by the parliamentary committee comprising members from both the parties.

As explained above it obviates the possibility of immediate elections. And elections without agreed reforms will not resolve the political conundrum. Therefore, a respectable way out of the prevailing gridlock is for PTI to go back to the assemblies, setting aside false egos.

The writer is a former diplomat and freelance columnist.