Make use of the pause

A recuperating Imran Khan has come up with a pause to his long march. The thaw is most welcome, and should lead to normalising the ongoing volatile political situation. While the PTI chief has vowed to resume his rally towards the federal capital, if his demand for fresh elections are not met; the art of politics and statecraft, however, is in managing it to the best of national interests. The least that the nation can afford at this point of time is more instability, and it would be wise for all the stakeholders to budge from their stated positions and settle down for a rational outcome. This is not only desired but also indispensable, and could serve as a medium to call it a day to the hawkishness prevalent all around.

The maimed former prime minister, in his extempore speech from hospital, thundered and indulged in some grave accusations against personnel belonging to civil and military institutions. This aspect has drawn severe rebuttal from the government and the ISPR, and it is in need of being studied in a calm environment. The PTI’s grievances are also in need of being judiciously investigated, and justice done to the aggrieved. The government should lead from the front and do away with the Ostrich syndrome by keeping itself in a denial mode. The cross-talk that is going on is primarily related to institutions and their jurisdiction, and it should be probed closely whether someone has crossed the standard operating procedures by indulging in any excesses or not. Such a detailing will come to embolden the institutions, and buoy the confidence of the masses in law and democracy.

The least that is needed at this point of time is jump-starting a formal dialogue, and making it clear that an institutional approach will be the way to go. The pause in the long march serves the purpose of ushering in normality, and the PTI will be better advised to give due space to a tete-a-tete, and not to be judgmental. Khan’s desire for resourcing to ballot can only be choreographed if there is serenity on the streets.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2022.

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