According to Prime Minister Imran Khan, 'Azadi March' has no genuine objective but to cover the wrongdoings of top corrupt whose tenures in government were all about looting and signing charter of democracy. "Mark my words, whatever united effort they make through the March, I will not give them NRO (deal) till my last breath," the prime minister reportedly said at the ground-breaking ceremony of Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib.

The question, however, is: What does the government seek to achieve by denigrating and demonizing the opposition parties and their leaderships, particularly the head of JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rahman? Does it want the Maulana to renege on his pledge that the protesters will restrict their presence or protest to the ground at Peshawar Mor and not enter the Red Zone or D-Chowk? The exchange of barbs between government and opposition has already caused a great deal of anxiety, fear and restlessness among people at large.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019