The Punjab government has imposed a two-week ban on all public visits, meetings and interviews at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. A notification issued in this regard by province’s home department makes an interesting reading, so to speak, as it states, among other things, that “the Internal Security Wing of the Home Department Punjab has conveyed that there exist different types of threats to the security of Adiala Jail as some anti-state terrorist groups supported by the enemies of Pakistan have planned to conduct targeted attacks thereof.

As the purpose of the planned attacks is to create lawlessness and anarchy within the whole country, it is imperative that some measures are taken without delay”. Expectedly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has assailed the government move, arguing that the ban is aimed at depriving incarcerated party founder Imran Khan of his right to meet his party leaders and family members inside jail.

Although the PTI’s allegations are not misplaced in view of the fact that the party and its leadership have been meted out a shabby and hostile treatment by the successive governments ever since the then prime minister Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion against him in 2022, the existence of security threats cannot be ruled out.

The powers that are inimical to the existence of Pakistan have been seeking to create a civil war-like situation in the country for quite some time. Carrying out an attack on Imran Khan with a view to eliminating him through their proxies will surely ignite violence on an unimaginable scale in the length and breadth of the country.

It is true that the incumbent government like its successors—interim setup and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government—has demonstrated an anti-Imran Khan approach from the day one. It may be true that imposing a two-week ban on his meetings or interviews is a step that does not necessarily stem from security concerns.

But security threats to Imran Khan could also be real. In my view, however, PTI should bide the time. With its strong presence in National Assembly and the assemblies of two key provinces—Punjab and KPK—the party is in a position to continue its protest drive against vote rigging inside assemblies and outside in an effective and meaningful manner.

We all know that jail is where Imran Khan has enough quiet and privacy to strategize and plan for the future. He can still share his thoughts and plans with his party leadership without actually meeting them.

Mehrunnisa Qizlibash

Peshawar

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024