There are two types of people; those who work in a group and those who work solo. Imran Khan has a soloist nature. He makes strategies and statements as if he will never need anyone by his side.
He dragged the superpower of the world into his political narrative for election. He alleged that the US conspired against him and caused his ouster. As if he will never have to face American envoys ever. During his campaign for election in 2018, he frequently called out IMF. Resultantly, IMF gave him a very hard time when he came to power. And we suffered the consequences.
Throughout his tenure, he constantly bashed the opposition. From name-calling to serious allegations, he pushed the opposition to a point where the no-confidence motion became inevitable. Even during the no-confidence motion, he continued to bash his disgruntled members who could have been convinced if he had met them personally and listened to their concerns.
But he and his front men not only threatened them with consequences but also encouraged their supporters to harass them to a point of no return. Imran knew that without the support of these disgruntled members he could not defeat the no-confidence motion but he did not care.
He has a history of name-calling Punjab Police. He said an awful lot about Punjab Police, popularizing the word “Gullu Butt” for them. How was Punjab Police supposed to get over it? Resultantly, they did not cooperate with the Punjab government with the enthusiasm shown by the police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And he did the same this time during his Azadi March. His party presented Punjab Police as an evil aggressor and even took the case against them to the UN. Now, if he ever wins a majority in Punjab, does he really think Punjab Police will wholeheartedly respect him?
He cannot fire thousands of policemen and hire new ones who support PTI. Because institutions cannot be replaced. You are going to see them whether you like it or not and Mr Khan needs to understand this. Now, he is dragging the establishment into his political turmoil for short-term attention. He said that the military will be destroyed if they do not support him. Also, the nuclear assets will be compromised if he is not back into power with a two-thirds majority.
What exactly is he expecting? Does he really expect that he can pressurize the military institutions? He is making statements as if he will never face the military officials again. He had a good history of cooperation with the military and God knows why he is putting those terms at risk. Does he really think that after everything that PTI did to the military, it can work with it in the future as if nothing happened?
A wise politician always keeps his door open. He always leaves room for a possible alliance. If you continue to bash people and do not show any flexibility, then it is awkward when you need them. Our news channels are bombarded with clips of politicians who badmouthed other politicians but are now allies. Their past statements about each other haunt them and are eerie for their voters to digest as well.
Imran Khan once said that he will not consider Sheikh Rashid even for the post of a peon, at his face, and a decade later, Rashid was his interior minister. That clip still haunts him. If he had not made these remarks, that appointment would not have been that awkward. Calling out someone is routine in politics, but a politician needs to be very careful with the choice of words. Any enemy today can be a potential ally in the future and vice versa.
Imran Khan and his squad are constantly poking the military and other state institutions. He needs to realize that even if he gets a two-thirds majority, the police will remain the same along with the judiciary, military and police. A prime minister relies on these institutions, and if he wants to rule, he needs to cooperate with these institutions professionally. It’s not PMLN or PPP that you can drag and get away with.
He should know that even if he clean sweeps the election, he will need these institutions. He should realize that the US is not going anywhere and he will have to maintain ties with that country if he becomes the prime minister again. It’s only a dictator that can offend everyone and still manage to rule. A democrat cannot afford to be a soloist in Pakistan.
