He wants to dent Pakistan’s fragile democracy
Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), has called for a protest meet in Islamabad on November 2 against the governing dispensation led by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. To the chagrin of many there, Imran Khan has unapologetically formed alliances with religious and militant organisations. The chief purpose behind the proposed show of strength is to warn the Sharif Government of the looming dangers unaccountability entails. Organisations with suspect credentials, like the Jamaat-ud-Dawa'h and Jaish-e-Mohammed, would be participating in the protest meet. The leadership of Islamabad's lal Masjid, that has had no qualms in supporting terror group like the Islamic State, has also expressed willingness to join the November protest.
Khan is eager to remove Sharif from power due to the political quagmire caused by what is euphemistically called Panamagate. Nawaz Sharif, along with his three children, has been accused of stashing money in offshore accounts. It is to be seen whether Imran Khan has legal support for his demands or it is just political opportunism gone over the top. Khan has warned the Pakistani Government that the “protest is PTI's democratic right” and that “the Government will have to bear a severe loss if it tries to stop us”. The PTI chief has also accused the Pakistani Government of defaming its Army. The Pakistani Government is in disarray. Thus, its Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan has met leaders of the organisations that could join the protest, strengthening the PTI's demands. Some of those are outright terror groups which are annoyed with the Sharif Government over administrative issues such as the cancellation of national identity cards.
Perhaps Khan has taken it upon himself to be a champion of underdogs. Unfortunately, it matters little to him as to whether his supporters are affiliated to terrorist organisations or legitimate members of political and civic groups. It is right for a political party in a democratic set-up to ask tough questions as a responsible opposition. But it must ensure that protests pass through a democratic sifting and, therefore, do not have elements with dubitable credentials. Perhaps Khan wants an all- Pakistani political grouping’s hue to be reflected in this opposition, thus making the November protest essentially a political gamble to test the waters before the next election in 2018. The last protest by Imran khan was held in 2014 and had one religious group, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, as a participant. This group is led by a man called Tahirul Qadri, who happens to be a cleric based in Canada. The planned protest already has the support of illimitable militant organisations — a situation the Pakistani Government ought to be concerned about. The international community must also take cognisance of the planned protests. To have dubious elements freely participate in a national protest, can be a foreboding of things to come. As it is, Pakistan is on the brink.