AS the Federal Government was fully geared to deal with the threat of long march, the PTI has announced to postpone the September 27 protest and the March to October 04. With this, the possibility of an imminent confrontation has subsided but sanity demands the intervening period should be used by the two sides to sort out issues through table talks.
Different interpretations are being offered whether the postponement was a strategy or a compulsion but it is crystal clear that ground realities were ominous for the PTI to embark upon the Islamabad venture. Apparently, the epoch-making verdict of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) made all the difference by drawing parameters for the protest and issuing directions to provincial governments and law enforcing agencies on how to protect the interest of the general public. Armed with judicial backing, the Government has mobilized all resources to render any protest or March as ineffective. It is also understood that the PTI was banking upon resources of the KP Government but the provincial government was finding it difficult to do so when police were under court directions not to cooperate with any unlawful or political activity. The PTI claims the strategy was aimed at draining energy of the Federal Government and law enforcing agencies but it must realize that prolonged tension will add further to the miseries of the people.
