Fair election only way forward

History is full of events where people stood together for their sovereignty and dignity. Pakistan has lived through the horrors of being a part of blocks and proxies. To keep Pakistan in control, the country was economically deprived and exposed to waves of terror. Above all, the only Muslim nuclear power was exploited when ruled by corrupt incompetent leaders. As the West held the strings of leadership, Pakistan never actualized its true geo-economical and geo-political potential. The leaders who showed vigour and took independent and sovereign decisions were dealt with sternly and paid the price with their lives.

Today Pakistan is at one of the most critical junctions it has ever been exposed to in its history. A leader who enjoys people’s love and attention has tabled a vision of having a sovereign nation, free to make decisions to maximize its geo-political and economic position. It is hard to believe how well the narrative has resonated with the people. The nation starving for dignity and freedom came together with the commitment to go to any extent to claim the right to rule their country independently. They refuse to be proxies or puppets in the new polarized world.

The West has invested well in Pakistan’s deep state. They normally maneuver through the establishment which uses people’s power in their interest. In the past, the leaders were considered the most negligible part of the whole process and were replaced conveniently as and when needed. Surprisingly, this was not the case with Imran Khan. With the regime change operation, the tipping pulse of the nation reached saturation point, and they expressed their anger and frustration in his favour and what he now stands for fearlessly.

Imran Khan has emerged as a leader enjoying people’s attention, trust, and love to the extreme surprise of the West and its allies in the country. After the regime change, IK’s marathon movement mobilized people like never seen before in Pakistan.

Forced regime change is not alien to Pakistan’s political fabric. The actual surprise in the latest evolving scenario is the people’s reaction. The quest for sovereignty is phenomenal and uniformly witnessed across Pakistan. For decades, Pakistan has lived in terror with no recognition whatsoever. The country has been bashed and blamed ruthlessly by the West. It was Imran Khan who voiced their fears and made an uncompromising commitment to peace. But when their basic right was denied deceitfully, they poured out in masses and raised their voice.

In this mist of confusion and chaos, it was Imran Khan who presented the narrative of a sovereign Pakistan. He stood for the nation’s self-respect, self-esteem, honour, and dignity and enjoyed people’s commitment to strive and struggle for the goal for a sovereign Pakistan. The people became the biggest strength of their leader in his darkest hour by marching together towards a prosperous Pakistan, though the government decided to stop them using power and force.

The PTI workers and the public stood strong against the government’s aggression towards the protestors. The day of continuous confrontation followed the night. D Chowk witnessed an unprecedented event when it became nothing less than a battlefield, with youth, men, women, and children defying the odds and braving the continuous shelling by the police force. The event ended inconclusively, but there are some points worth highlighting. Imran Khan has given an ultimatum of six days only. If the election is not called within that time, he would come to Islamabad more strategically with a massive crowd.

Imran Khan took a wise decision to lead his march from the KPK as the province is PTI’s hub that helped him to mobilize more people and avoid arrest. It would be unfair to take the credit away from Punjab or Karachi, as the PTI followers courageously came out to support their leader. The government’s decision to use power backfired horribly since the PTI got the optics in their favour. The more the government resorted to a show of force, the more they resisted, thus bagging attention and loyalty, both locally and internationally.

Though the abrupt conclusion of the event was surprising for many, it was the right decision. Now the world knows the dedication of PTI workers who cannot be stopped with power and only adhere to their leader’s call, Imran Khan. They look up to him and trust him and IK also values their unconditional commitment.

On the other hand, the government has presented a brutal image, with no empathy for the people with diversified political beliefs. They currently face mounting economic challenges and have considerably lost people’s support. The Rs. 30 hike in petrol prices is the first instalment of the series of torturous economic decisions the government is expected to take in the future. The government is racing to achieve its set targets. NAP reforms, overseas voting rights, and electoral reforms were approved hastily. But what Imran Khan got from this endeavour is yet unclear, though rumours indicate that he has bagged a new election in October 2022. A parallel communication was reported, but Imran Khan has categorically denied any agreement with the establishment.

Imran Khan has successfully created the needed pressure. The PTI has crafted an image contrary to what they were perceived as previously. Moreover, the final optics could have been more impressively articulated. It was evident that Islamabad was not prepared for such a crowd and movement. If Imran Khan can replicate what he has done on 25^th May 2022 after 6 days, the government can find itself under repetitive unbearable and tiring pressure with a snowball effect. A free and fair election is the only way to redemption from this point.

The writer is a corporate trainer, author and current affairs analyst