Islamabad: A sit-in started by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) led by Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri, respectively, has entered the 5th day. Thousands of protestors of both the parties, sitting on parallel positions in Islamabad, are demanding the ousting of Nawaz Sharif’s ruling government.
Though PTI leader Imran Khan, has failed to live up to its claim of gathering 10 million people from across Pakistan, he has certainly been able to make an impact on the ruling government.
Khan has not been able to attract any opposition or anti-government political parties to join his campaign. Analysts say Imran Khan’s march has backfired from all directions and pushed him to a point of no return.
Imran Khan has lashed out on Nawaz Sharif for running a ‘family governed and ruled government’ who he claims has come into power through election rigging. He has also accused Nawaz Sharif of bribing all the concerned institutions during the elections to ensure his fake success and voter mandate.
Civil disobedience campaign by PTI:
After being sidelined and criticized of a failed show in Islamabad by leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Imran Khan announced a launch of civil disobedience campaign against the government. Under this none of Khan’s supporters will pay bills or taxes, which will further plunge Pakistan’s economy into crisis, forcing the government to succumb to the demands of the people and step down from power.
Khan’s decision of civil disobedience has been struck by strong criticism by all the major political parties across Pakistan, who have denounced it and declared it as immature and childish.
“Imran Khan’s speech is nothing more than a joke to me†said Altaf Hussain, leader of Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
“Imran Khan does not come with prepared speeches, which is why his statements are at times contradicting to his party policies and claims. His statement of civil disobedience has further pushed him away from all those who support his cause and has made him lonelier than before. His political career and credibility has now come on the rocks.†said Javed Chaudhary, a senior journalist and a news anchor.
Imran Khan did not stop at this, but announced resignation of all of his party members who are members of the National Assembly of Pakistan and also announced that his party supporters will march towards Islamabad’s Red Zone, a highly sensitive area of the capital where all major government installations including President house, Prime Minister house, National Assembly of Pakistan, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Diplomatic Enclave housing dozens of foreign embassies and diplomat residences etc and stage their protest sit-in in-front of the parliament.
It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad Red Zone’s security has been handed over to Pakistan armed forces by the government, while Imran Khan’s rally was allowed to stage their rally in Islamabad after an agreement that they will not enter into the Red Zone.
Nawaz Sharif’s government representatives have urged Imran Khan not to violate his agreements and not force law enforcement agencies to come into action against his followers.
“Imran Khan has proved himself as a non-committed person as he has not lived up to his commitment. He agreed that he will not have unconstitutional demands, he committed that he will not violate the rules and will not enter the Red Zone. But he has continued to break his commitments. So now, if he says that he will enter the Red Zone and will stay peaceful; we find it very hard to believe.†said Saad Rafique, Federal Minister of Railways.
Contradiction within PTI:
While Imran Khan announced launch of civil disobedience campaign and called for zero bill and tax payments to the government; his senior party member Jahangir Khan Tareen, paid 8.7 million of taxes the following day.
On the other hand, Imran Khan and his co-chairperson Shah Mahmood Qureshi, announced receiving resignations from all of his party members in the National Assembly on Monday. But on Tuesday four party members of PTI were present in the National Assembly session and no resignations were submitted in the session.
It is also being reported that many Member Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province (KPK), a province where PTI is in the ruling government, have refused to render their resignations as per demand of their party leader Imran Khan. This exposes the drift between Imran Khan and his party members, further weakening his credibility and trust of his supporters.
PAT’s public parliament to be staged:
Sitting parallel to Imran Khan’s Azadi March at a distance of about 50 feet, Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri is staging his anti-government sit-in called ‘Inqulaab March’ demanding resignation of the ruling leadership and imposition of a system based on his recommended 10-point agenda.
Every homeless will be given a home. Every homeless family will be given 3/5 marla residential plot for free. They would be given interest-free loans for the construction of these houses which would be returnable from 20 to 25 years. Those families, who do not have financial means to return these loans, would be handed over keys of constructed houses.
Every person would be given employment or employment allowance. The youth would be helped in career counseling and planning for their jobs. The practice of making them beggars, indebted or loan defaulters would be discouraged and discontinued.
Those having monthly income of less than Rs. 15,000/20,000 would pay half of the real amount on flour, rice, milk, cooking oil, sugar, and plain clothes.
All taxes will be eliminated from the gas, water and electricity bills for lower middle class and they would be required to pay half of the exact amount of these utilities.
Official insurance scheme would be introduced and the poor would get free medical treatment.
Education up to matriculation will be free and the parents would not be able to keep their children deprived of education. The students desiring higher education would be given opportunities to do so and their admission will be ensured as per merit.
Pakistan’s total area is 200 million acres. Out of which 100 million acre is cultivable. The half of this land is under private ownership while the remaining 50 million acres would be distributed among the poor.
Sectarianism, terrorism and extremism will be eliminated. Ten thousand peace training centres will be opened for training of the people. Syllabi of religious seminaries would be revised and amended.
The women will be given opportunities for respectable employment in the form of domestic industrial units. They will be given complete socio-economic security by doing away with discriminatory laws.
Disparity in the pay structures of all senior and junior public and private sector employees will be minimized to possible extent.
Tahir-ul-Qadri (TUQ), a Canadian national cleric, has been able to gather a bigger number of his supporters in the Federal Capital as compared to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, who have been more organized and committed to following orders of their leader.
TUQ gave a deadline of 48 hours to Nawaz Sharif to step down and open power seats for the deserving and announced that he will shake the government after the deadline ends. The deadline ended at 12 midnight. TUQ announced to hold a public parliament today and let the people decide the next course of action.
Government and Opposition parties unite for democracy, Imran isolated:
Pakistan’s opposition parties have joined together and have opposed Imran Khan’s anti-government stand. They have blamed Imran Khan for trying to overthrow the mandate of all other political parties and signifying them with less than 10,000 people.
“We do not support Nawaz Sharif’s government on many things. But that does not mean that we take people on the streets and start derailing democratic process. We agree with Imran Khan over the urgent need for electoral reforms, but the way he is trying to impose his decision and claiming it to be from the whole nation is not right. Any effort to derail democracy will have to be done over our dead bodies.†said Khursheed Shah, leader of the opposition parties.
Though the government and opposition parties have formed three separate committees to negotiate with Imran Khan and TUQ; both have refused to negotiate on the matter and have maintained that they will continue their protest until Nawaz Sharif meets their demands and steps down from power.
Analyst belief that the ignorance from TUQ and Imran Khan highlights the frustration they feel of being left alone from all sides. But analyst also highlight that ruling government is also making use of this opportunity and will let Imran Khan enter the Red Zone, sit in-front of the Parliament and further isolate him and his party as they belief after this extreme action, the only option Imran Khan will be left with is to take over the parliament through civil war, or force Pakistan Army to take over, either by toppling the ruling government or by using force to disperse Imran Khan and TUQ, making it a better opportunity for both to exit the scene as a political martyr and not as a failure.