Wrong path
IMRAN Khan continued talking about raising the finger at the same army during his 126-day-long sit-in that he staged in Islamabad in 2014.
It is still fresh in our minds that Imran Khan used to deliver his speeches from his container and he assured his supporters that the ‘umpire’ would raise his finger soon.
He gave the ‘good’ news to his supporters after meeting with the then COAS Gen Raheel Sharif that the ‘umpire’ has raised his finger.
Imran Khan didn’t have any issue with the establishment of that time because he believed that he had its support to oust the government of Nawaz Sharif.
The Pakistan Army was acceptable to Imran Khan in the form of ‘umpires’ at that time as he believed that he enjoyed its support.
Mr Khan should use his energies to make a comeback to the power corridors through a political struggle instead of criticizing the Pakistan Army.
We all know that the same Establishment was acceptable to Imran Khan until he needed his party’s MNAs and allies in Parliament.
He started criticizing the Establishment when he lost the majority in Parliament and was removed from his office through a vote of no-confidence against him.
It seems that he is still not digesting the reality that he was the only Prime Minister in the history of Pakistan who was removed by Parliament as a result of the no-confidence motion against him.
Imran Khan is still not accepting his political defeat. The Establishment refused Imran Khan for managing his political opponents and categorically conveyed him to handle his political matters on his own.
He failed to continue his majority in Parliament and lost the government as a result of a democratic movement of the opposition.
It is better that he should tell the nation about that ‘umpire’ he used to talk about during his sit-in days.
He should show some courage and tell the nation who convinced the smaller parties to become the allies that helped him form the government.
The allies were good till they supported Imran Khan but they also suddenly became ‘traitors’ when they left him and his government collapsed.
The Establishment becomes bad in the eyes of Imran Khan if it declares to act as neutral and unbiased in the political process.
It is good for Imran Khan not to involve the Pakistan Army in political affairs only for his petty politics.
He is inciting his supporters against the Pakistan Army in his excited and furious statements.
It doesn’t suit any political leader to point fingers at the credibility of our defence forces as it is against the national interest of Pakistan.
The game of power is always short-lived as no one is here to rule forever. History remembers only those politicians who give relief to the public instead of endangering their lives through chaos and instability, Imran Khan should use his energies to make a comeback to the power corridors through a peaceful political struggle instead of creating lawlessness and anarchy in the country.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
