On the ropes, but standing

Nothing seems to be working for PTI. The party's founder, Imran Khan, remains in jail – isolated, with no contact with the outside world for weeks and weeks. Protest after protest by party members, led by Khan's sisters outside Adiala Jail, to compel the government to obey the jail manual and the court order and allow meetings with Khan has been met with high-handed security machinery. A couple of recent political rallies in K-P have only been successful to the extent of conveying the anger that is building up among Khan's supporters. But the momentum that is necessary to make things move is still missing.

Moreover, the alliance of opposition parties, Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP), has thus far proved largely ineffective. Lately though, the TTAP has planned to hold a 'National Consultative Conference' on Dec 20-21 to deliberate upon the fast erosion of democratic tenets in the country and thereby attempt to set things in motion. The alliance leaders are trying to rope in other parties not allied with the ruling dispensation in order to bolster their ranks. Towards this end, they have extended invitations to JUI-F, JI and QWP to attend their upcoming conference.

And in London, Khan's sons, Kasim and Suleiman, are trying to plead the case of their incarcerated father who, according to them, is held in a death cell. In a recent interview, they have revealed yet another attempt by them to visit Pakistan. Previously, when they intended to fly into Pakistan, they may have been scared away by the warnings "of not to come". This time though they plan to join to action, as they say they have applied for their visas and "are planning a trip in January".

The government, on the other hand, feels emboldened after the recent constitutional tweaks and the sentencing of the ex-spy master, and is in no mood to provide even a bit of breathing space to the cornered PTI. This undemocratic conduct is, however, adding to the political uncertainty in the country and in turn harming efforts to get the economy out of the woods. Time for the government to think democratically rather than in an authoritarian way.