PTI chief Imran Khan’s fall from power should have led him to ponder over his shortcomings. It was no ordinary matter that allies and several party leaders abandoned the PM when the PTI was still in power. There was a need to hold several sessions of the party’s core committee to thoroughly debate the issue so that a situation of the sort does not arise in future. Instead Mr Khan has built a fairytale-like narrative with him as the Godsent hero who struggled for14 years for the good of his people, but all the corrupt powers got united against him and toppled his government with the “support of foreign forces”. The elegiac narrative may induce some of his tender-hearted followers to cry their hearts out but provides them no guideline for the future.
ThPTI’s mercurial chairman is now itching for action. What is more he has decided to be dangerous. He is again going to march on Islamabad to hold a sit-in till his demand for fresh elections is accepted. It is likely to be a long wait. The ECP needs months to complete legal requirements and would be ready for elections by October. In case the economic situation starts improving, the PML(N)-led coalition government might like to complete the remaining tenure of over a year. I
The PTI’s last march-cum-sit-in was spread over from14 August to 17 December 2014. The party enjoyed the support of a powerful figure in the establishment. The PTI’s sit-in was also joined by Tahirul Qadri and his highly motivated Pakistani Awami Tehrik workers. This time the establishment has become neutral while the PAT chief has kept his party out of the game. The media which projected Khan’s struggle in 2014, but was strangled by the PTI when it assumed power, is no more going to ignore PTI’s transgressions. To cap it all, the protesters will have to cope with a long hot summer.
This explains why Imran Khan wants “just a few weeks” for the call to march. But to Imran Khan’s chagrin the elections will be held under chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, who according to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry is acting as a PML(N) worker. It is time Mr Khan comes out of the dream world and reconciles with reality. Instead of taking to the streets, the PTI should return to National Assembly and act as a responsible opposition party.
