How ironic and disturbing it is that the government has ruled out negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the Imran Khan-led party constituted a seven-member ‘negotiation committee’. In an identical development, Imran Khan had made a passionate appeal to state institutions to immediately sit with his party and find a solution to put the country on the path of progress.

It increasingly appears that the incumbent government doesn’t want to engage with the PTI that has been demanding the government announce a date for the general elections. The government’s reluctance stems from Imran Khan’s growing popularity even after he has been deprived of almost all of his lieutenants since the tragic events of May 9. It was only yesterday that a visibly upset former prime minister told the government that ‘break as many party members as you can in four weeks but then announce polls’. In my view, general election is the only solution to the current dangerous or deadly impasse.

Both the incumbent government and Election Commission of Pakistan have already committed violation of constitution by not holding elections to Punjab and KPK assemblies by May 14. There must be no further violations of constitution in order to insulate the current democratic process from real or perceived threats to its future.

Sanaullah Khan

Lahore

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023