Common sense has finally prevailed in Pakistan’s political scene. At a recently held party convention of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Imran Khan announced that he would be shunning politics of confrontation and working closely with the government in its fight against terrorism. The declaration has certainly come as a relief to the Sharif government, but utterly disappointed PTI’s supporters across the country.
Those supporters may now be feeling cheated as they regarded Khan as a beacon of hope — a national hero who had promised to create a “naya (new) Pakistan” free from injustice, corruption and glaring inequalities in the social system.
After months of sit-in protests and rallies, Khan failed to dislodge Sharif from the seat of power and seemed to have limited options as an exit strategy. The anti-government movement had certainly allowed PTI to gain political clout, but it was not enough to overthrow the Sharif government that had obtained support of opposition parties as well.
Khan has himself admitted that the protests provided him a chance to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of his party, and there was a need to immediately reorganize it at district levels. Therefore, it was about time that the protests were called off and PTI stood united with the government, especially in aftermath of the tragic Peshawar attacks.
Khan’s decision to end street protests is a welcome one, as it will help to restore calmness on the political scene. It will also allow the government to completely focus in dealing with the menace of terrorism. Khan’s move to make peace with the Sharif government is a win-win situation for all. His party will now be focused on improving its governance in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and make it a role model for other provinces of the country.
This new stance mimics the proposal of PTI’s critics, who had urged Khan to first honor the mandate his party had received in KPK. Instead of attempting to win power in Punjab, he should have dedicated all energies to address key issues of the KPK province. This would have helped Khan to establish his credentials as a true leader, who deserved a chance to form government at the national level.
The KPK province has borne the brunt of war against terrorism, which has significantly impeded its progress in fighting polio, reforming the education sector and ensuring socioeconomic development. Khan’s new strategy in KPK province will be geared toward revamping provincial health care and education facilities, improving access to clean water, and devolution of power through the local bodies’ political system.
However, the PTI has reiterated its demand for poll rigging allegations through an independent, transparent and fully empowered judicial commission. There is no doubt that this principled stance will go a long way in strengthening democracy in Pakistan.
While most people would agree that limited rigging occurred in the elections, no one expects startling findings that may challenge the legitimacy of Sharif government. This is a golden opportunity for the government to improve Pakistan’s electoral system so that people may develop greater confidence in the power of their vote. In case this opportunity is squandered, democracy in Pakistan will face an unfortunate setback and could revive protest movements.
