EDITORIAL: Anti-institutional rhetoric that is all the rage since PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) chose to dispute its constitutional departure from office has now reached such a fever pitch that Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has also been forced to take public notice of it.

Calling for timely and joint action to counter “speculation and rumours”, the army chief said that misinformation and propaganda endangered the integrity of the entire state as he moved to shield his corps and battalions from the politically opportunistic venom of political players licking their wounds and looking for others to blame. The general was very right to point out that the army drew its strength from the people and went on to warn that any attempt to “create a wedge between the army and the people would not be tolerated”.

It’s pretty clear that everybody is upset with the way PTI supporters are going about tilting the applecart and making all sorts of unfounded accusations; even against the most important institutions holding up the state. And it’s difficult to exactly pin down Imran Khan’s new strategy as he presses for an early election.

Because on the one hand he accuses the American government of backing and bankrolling the no-confidence motion against him. Yet on the other hand, his party’s social media warriors are clearly carrying out flank attacks against the so-called establishment as well as the judiciary.

It is not at all hard to see that the country cannot afford the kind of confrontations that former PM Imran Khan has planned for the weeks and months ahead. PTI is also very upset that the Supreme Court called out its anti-constitutional blunder in the National Assembly for what it was — “against the constitution”.

And now Imran Khan makes sure to throw some dirt at the judges as well every time he addresses a large gathering. Perhaps he feels that the detailed decision might well carry some strictures against the PTI and its band of merry men who pushed matters to breaking point. Either way, it is very unfortunate that the political party that exploded onto the scene to rescue the country and create a ‘new Pakistan’ appears to have now charted a course for itself that has all the portents of ushering the country towards anarchy.

Imran Khan must, therefore, reconsider his course of action. All political parties must get together to decide about the next general election. And the military and judiciary must not be dragged into street debates.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022

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F Nawaz Apr 24, 2022 05:16pm
Why the spin? The US has everyone in their pocket including our establishment.
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