Pakistan: Imran Khan vs the strongman

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Pakistan: Imran Khan's Party PTI Kicks Off 'Jail Bharo Tehreek' From Lahore | LatestLY

by Babar Cheema   28 March 2023
          While  it was totally needless , there was an element  of inevitability about it as well. It had to happen. It was steadily ripening in the womb of history for quite some time now. Credit must be given to Nawaz shareef who, very deftly,has pitched the two belligerents against each other. Although, he won’t get any thing in return but he can still have the sadistic satisfaction  of seeing two of his worst enemies, bleeding each other to near death.
           Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto tried to go down this path by challenging the dictator but probably the timing was not right. He was trying to do exactly what Imran  Khan is doing today. Bullet won  and the ballot lost in 1977. Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz shareef and even Zardari tried to show defiance. But all of these characters were too compromised to take a robust stand. They had  too many skeletons in their cupboards.Therefore, all of them sought refuge in making deals or going into self exile. Nawaz shareef has been busy in occasional outbursts from the safety of Avenfield apartments through long-distance video calls.
             Imran Khan, when found himself in the same position, hit back with a vengeance. He,by his sheer audaciousness,proved all the pundits wrong. His daring counterattack on the dark forces, surprised his friends, and left his adversaries, bewildered. Imran Khan is ruling the waves, and his shadow is looming large on the political landscape of Pakistan.
             An important question is, why Imran Khan could accept this challenge of fighting a duel , which nobody has ever dared to contemplate in their  wildest imagination. By nature, Imran Khan, savors and revels in such situations . They seems to bring the best out of him. He, instinctively, is comfortable in meeting challenges. He, very presciently, warned his tormentors not to ask for trouble by removing him. But stupidity knows no bounds.
             Now the disgraced offender is hiding from public view, spewing nonsense every now and then. With every utterance, he further pushes himself deeper into the heap of filth . On the other hand, Imran Khan’s  popularity is soaring in the skies.
            Unfortunately, the change at the top has changed nothing. No lesson seems to have been learned. New men at the top arrive, and the sight of the brass and the enormity of power intoxicates them. On arrival, they seem to have answers to all questions. This turns out to be a fatal misunderstanding.In just a few months, there are questions all around and no answers.
            Reality may be different, but the widespread perception is that the incumbents have seemingly and totally unnecessarily taken up the IK  challenge as purely their own personal project.Why should they have done that, is a question that is agitating  many minds. The formidable might of the deep state has been menacingly unleashed against Imran Khan. But he refuses to budge an inch. His recalcitrance and defiance has made the powers more jittery. They have never been used to this kind of Resistance.
             With every passing day, the collective conscience of the nation is decisively tilting towards Imran Khan. Public opinion has contemptuously, rejected the blatant attempts to subvert the Constitution of Pakistan. Imran Khan occupies the high moral ground. He is an outright winner. He represents ballot, while his adversaries  represent the bullet. This struggle has turned out to be a battle between the constitution of Pakistan and a civilian martial law. People of Pakistan are behind IK  like a rock. They,very well know who is calling the shots and directing the show of these braindead 13 party coalition partners.They know, who are the real culprits behind this criminality.
             What is mind boggling  for the simple people of Pakistan is, that how, defenders can turn into destroyers. Today,Imran Khan would win even if he loses. His opponents have a great disadvantage that he will lose even if he appears to have won . Imran Khan is a force of nature. Of course he has major flaws. He holds a misplaced and erroneous belief that establishment should have sided with him against corrupt opponents. This is a misguided argument. Every organ of the state should adhere to their constitutionally specified role . However, they can always be expected to obey the lawful commands only.
             70 year old Imran Khan has gone through many  challenges in his life. He’s probably fighting the most difficult battle now.His major strength is that he draws inspiration deep from his inner self . He has an indomitable will and great strength of character. While his opposing figures have emerged, reportedly , after a compromise somewhere.They are standing on a slippery slope and have to watch over their shoulders all the time.Imran Khan draws his strength from his mettle inside, while his opponents draws their strength from metal outside.
               Armed Forces of Pakistan are Pakistan’s biggest asset. They are the guarantors of Pakistan’s sovereignty and stability. They have laid down lives and given immense sacrifices for the safety of Pakistan and Pakistanis. On the other hand. Imran Khan is head of the largest party, which represents all the federating units of Pakistan representing the ultimate sovereign owners of this country, the people of Pakistan.
              Political forces and the state institutions should work by complementing and supplementing each other in the service of Pakistan. Let it be stated in unequivocal terms that destruction of one by the other would have unimaginably drastic and dreadful consequences. Pakistan may not be able to sustain the after Shocks of this seismic cataclysm . Armed forces can only function with the full backing and the trust of the people of Pakistan. It is a painful fact that at the present moment, the security forces would find it impossibly hard to deal with any internal strife or external aggression. Security forces have lost the trust and respect of the common man in Pakistan. They should realise this sooner than later and try to reclaim the lost treasure of love which they traditionally and historically always possessed.
             This imminent duel is certainly not in the interest of Pakistan. Pakistan is the biggest loser in this theater of the absurd.All stake holders should strictly stick  to their constitutional role , which is comprehensively  defined. Not falling prey to worldly gains and powerful egos, is what we owe to this motherland of ours. And there in lies our salvation.

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