PTI chief Imran Khan is out to create chaos in the country which badly needs peace to deal with its overarching economic crisis. At his third public meeting after ouster as PM, Mr Khan announced massive protest demonstrations against the government after Eidul Fitr. He claimed that his elected government was toppled through a conspiracy hatched by the USA as it resented Mr Khan’s independent foreign policy. Through hints and innuendos Khan held the establishment and judiciary also responsible for getting an “imported government” installed. As he put it, the mistake of imposing this government could only be rectified by holding immediate elections in the country. Imran Khan is in a haste because he fears that the allied government would get strengthened if given time to stabilize. While an untimely agitation can harm the national economy, whether it can bring down the government remains questionable.
The PTI was much stronger in 2014 than now. Having no negative incumbency factor to his discredit and enjoying the support of the high and mighty, Mr Khan exhausted the entire playbook of agitational tactics without success. He went for protest marches, blocking roads, attacking government installations, shutting down entire cities, resigning en masse from the National Assembly and holding the country’s longest sit-in. He had to call off the agitation as the PML(N), PPP and other parliamentary parties joined the ranks.
Mr Khan demands immediate elections. A section of the ruling alliance too wants elections, albeit after electoral reforms so that the elections do not get mired in dispute as in 2018. The Election Commission hopes to finish demarcation of constituencies which is a constitutional requirement and hold elections in October. The way out is to settle the issue through talks. This however does not suit Mr Khan who wants to resort to agitation in the name of the “real freedom movement” for political gains. Having lost a number of electables and allies and the goodwill of the establishment Mr Khan needs a political stunt to come to power.
Imran Khan’s call for agitation has led PML(N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz to announce a series of rallies across the county. There is a need on both sides to postpone public rallies to let the government concentrate on the economy. They will have enough time for activities of the sort once the elections are announced.
