Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) president, Imran Khan’s every offer for negotiations with PDM and the establishment has been ruled out under plea of not sharing table with an “anarchist and arsonist” party chief, unless the same doesn’t publicaly apoligies for the extremism his party members and followers displayed on 9th May. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has been lucrative enough for Khan by proposing him to directly requesting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the purpose. Time has turned the table so rapidly that Mr. Khan blatently used to deny and kind of talks with “corrupts and thieves”, but today we see how situation turns topsy turvy, is a lesson what democracy get to learn to every politician.
Post 9/5, a powerful campaign is underway to brand PTI as an extrimist political party, may be get banned on the same grounds, however both civil-military establioshments have well-built justifications to establish the notion. The power circles run a thorough paradigm shift strategy underway, apparently with great suceess. For an ideal democratic and peaceful nation’s point of view, what PTI workers did was a nefarious and highly condemnable act of violence, however, we live in a state of democratic era where the sense of Khakhi dictatorship must not prevail to be existing in any capacity. The reaction to 9th May incident has been very strong and appealing, approximately thousands of workers have been nabbed and hundred of PTI leaders have opted to quit the trembling political party. Whereas, government’s stance to rule out Khan’s talks offer has shattered public hope for emergence of peace during current political chaos.
Khan’s claim of London plan implementation has raised multiple concers, as how a convicted and fugitive can decide public fate. Why not he be returned first in Country and seek justice from honorable Courts. Does that mean, Mr. Nawaz Sharif want to challenge Pakistani judicial and justice system while sitting abroad and guiding and deciding our political fate. On the other hand, the recent black out of political party head from every media forum without any kind of conviction in his credit doesn’t justify true democratic rule with liberty to speak freely and independently that entrusts the constitution to every citizen. The pre-requisits set for talks to Imran Khan seems an unfortunate bid on part of government, as Khan’s demand to get probe the 9th May mayhem by an empowered judicial commission must be taken seriously. A thorough soul-search may be demanded from both the attackers and the attacked ones. Another government minister also hinted at involvement of any external hand in the turmoil that caused national shame. Although, government’s assertion about Khan for being the master mind behind 9th May fiasco may be termed as lame allegation as when the extremist activities commenced Khan was behind the bar and was facing NAB investigators.
Government has been building the case on the basis of recorded statements of arrested accused, however, the practice might not be standing on solid rocks as the capacity of under detention accused persons usually proves worthless before the court of law. We have numerous instances in mega corruption scandals when substantial accused persons being the potential witness of the crime retracted back from their claims or witness statements. Do we still remember, Dr. Asim’s confessional statement recorded under Sindh Rangers captivity that he refuted quoting as being forcefully drugged before recording of his confessional statement. Qaisar Amin Butt also withdrew his approver statement recorded before judicial magistrate under Section-144 against Khawaja brothers in Paragon Housing society case, another classic example to highlight the worth of recording statements and admission of confessions.
Consequently, government’s unrealistic denial to hold talks with political opponents should be reviewd in the better national interest. It’s a fact that PTI is under hot waters since 9th May when the bubble burst but it’s also a reality that the party still has a potential vote bank as the party’s main vote-gainer Imran Khan is free and playing with sentiments, the demon in him with unbridled power is still intact. The walking out of his prominant party leaders in recent days also points out to some invisible pressure over them. The inducted electables are being swayed proposedly by the deep state. This is the unique kind of departure mission in the political history of Pakistan. The abandoning of ship with domino effect i.e. Usman Buzdar, Pervez Khattak, Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Ali Zaidi, Dr. Shireen Mazari, Mrs. And Mr. Cheema, Jaleel Ahmed Sharqpuri, Ibrarul Haq, Ch. Wajahat Hussain, Ch. Hussain Elahi, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Mehmood Molvi, Qaisar Maqsi, Malik Amin Aslam, Zaheer-ud-Din, Abdul Hayee Dasti, Sajjad Cheena, Malik Jawad Hussain, Usman Khan Tarkai, Javed Akhtar Ansari, Malik Akram and many more. A political party may be torn out but can’t be completely blown out from the politcal field for ever. The same pattern was once with MQM, however, MQM still exists in different bodies. PML(N) was also endeavoured to wipe out by dictator Musharraf, numerous departures were managed into PML(Q), but the intensity was not as high as with the PTI, this time and PTI has not come to an end, at yet. Dialogue are always the ultimate solution to every problem in politcs.
The democratic norms should be upheld by every government to build a working relationship with opposition which may neglect the culture of political rivalry and enmity in politics. Khan’s offer for talk should not be sabotaged by PDM government as country needs a peaceful political atmosphere and early elections are the need of the hour to build our democratic image before international community.
