Capital lockdown: Govt in Catch 22 situation

PML-N insiders believe K-P's proximity to Islamabad would allow protesters to arrive in the capital in large numbers

ISLAMABAD: As more parties are lending support to Imran Khan for his Nov 2 Islamabad lockdown plan, the PML-N government finds itself in a ‘Catch 22’ situation as it has yet to chart out a final strategy to deal with an imminent crisis, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The ruling party is indecisive about which available option to pick while its arch-rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continues to win allies. Top PML-N circles reportedly believe the situation has created a paradox as restricting movement on the pretext of security threats would attract criticism while at the same time protesters cannot be allowed to challenge the writ of the government.

“We are in a quandary,” admitted a government official. “Any miscalculation can cost us dearly. There is no room for error,” he told The Express Tribune requesting he should not be named in the report.

Sources in the PML-N say the party is more worried about PTI’s plan to ‘close’ the federal capital. “Dharna is not that big a problem, but at least there has to be a limit to madness,” the official said referring to Imran’s plans to paralyse the capital.

“Reports from security agencies suggest the level of security threats during Muharram and Safar necessitates fool-proof security, but such measures require restrictions on protesters that are not likely to go down well with the PTI.” Khan has already warned the government against stopping his supporters from marching into Islamabad.

Likewise, take strict disciplinary measures to deter protesters from challenging the government’s writ are also likely to backfire, official circles believe. “Protesting peacefully is the basic democratic right of any political party, but paralysing life and governmental machinery is not.”

Sources say the government is considering the option of allowing PTI supporters to stage a sit-in at a designated place other than Red Zone.

PML-N insiders believe Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s proximity to Islamabad would allow protesters from the province to arrive in the capital in large numbers, which is also a factor of great concern for the federal ruling party.

Meanwhile, K-P Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani said: “Denying a democratic right of peaceful protest in the name of security threats is not justified under any circumstances.”

“Where in the world does it happen in a democratic society that protestors are not allowed to protest in pursuit of their demands just because there are security risks?” He asked while speaking to The Express Tribune.

“Yes, there are security issues which are very serious in nature, but isn’t it the government’s job to provide fool-proof security? The government is trying to give an impression that the sit-ins would be held across Pakistan and it is difficult to give security cover at such large scale.”

Asked to comment on the concerns of the centre regarding the PTI’s announcement to paralyse life and government machinery in the capital, the minister said the initial plan is to stage a sit-in.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2016.