The PTI’s Long March has been surrounded by a miasma of violence from its inception, when it was preceded by the killing in Kenya of journalist Arshad Sharif, and by a press conference by Senator Azam Swati where he graphically described police torture. This continued when a journalist was crushed under the wheels of PTI chief Imran Khan’s container, and with the release of an audio by the government, allegedly showing ex-minister Ali Amin Gandapur as planning for arms to be brought into Islamabad, vot to forget KP Minister Kamran Bangash saying that the KP PTI contingent would bring arms to protect themselves. It was thus as if the public had been prepared for the horrific news that someone had fired upon Mr Khan. Though he was injured in the attack, which took place in Gujranwala, before his departure onward for Islamabad, he has been reported out of danger. The Long March had been extended for a week, to Nomber 11, only the day before; now it seems the prolonging is open-ended. The possibility annot be ruled out. The assassin claims he has no links to anyone or any organization, and was acting independently because Mr Khan was misleading people.
That is hardly a reason for shooting anyone, let alone a former Prime Minister. The attacker should realise that that sort of justification for violence is not provided by any political party. The initial reaction by PTI workers is perhaps understandable, but it also shows that this goes beyond politics. True, Mr Khan has named Prime Minister Shehbaz SAharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah as being behind the event, but it is not likely that these men, who have grown old in parliamentary politics, would bother with the politics of assassination. The DG ISI and the DG ‘C’ ISI was perhaps likelier suspects, being military men more liable to violent solutions, but the failure of the attempt shows how amateurish it was, unworthy of professional soldiers. Though it should remain clear that Mr Khan is the victim here, but at the same time it should not be ignored that his party has played a major role in using extreme language and preaching violence, even practising it in the shape of shoutring names at individuals when they had gone out in public.
Mr Khjan has survived the attack, which is something for which not only the PTI, but the whole country, should be grateful. However, there should be a thorough investigation into the security measures provided the former Prime Minister. The desire of a politician to bee untramelled in his contact with the public will always conflict with security needs, but it should be remembered that the nation cannot afford the trauma it has undergone before.
