Politics of agitation
Politics of agitation
Editorial
Editorial

Two top leaders of Pakistani politics, Mr. Asif Zardari and Imran Khan, had participated in a prestigious protest meeting on the Lahore Mall reiterating their demand for immediate removal of Shahbaz Sharif Government in the Punjab, the power base of PML-N.

Two top leaders of Pakistani politics, Mr. Asif Zardari and Imran Khan, had participated in a prestigious protest meeting on the Lahore Mall reiterating their demand for immediate removal of Shahbaz Sharif Government in the Punjab, the power base of PML-N.

The protest meeting was organized by the Pakistan Awami Tehrik seeking justice for the 14 of its activists gunned down in a police firing in Model Town area some two years ago. Despite their bitter differences, they participated the meeting presumably to seek an early ouster of Shahbaz Sharif.

Sheikh Rashid stunned the people and announced his resignation from the National Assembly. He had set the ball rolling predicting that two major parties can also adopt the same formula to dislodge the Government seeking elections ahead of schedule.

Both the PPP and PTI can use this available option if they had finally decided to call for early elections. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and his PPP had gained tremendous influence Balochistan during the current crisis or forming a new Provincial Government. The unusual interest of PPP forced the people to assume that Balochistan, as a province, can join Sindh and KPK, in seeking dissolution of the Assemblies to force an early election or sabotage the future Senate election for any political or other reason.

PPP had no member in the Balochistan Assembly and out of blue; the PPP came in the picture of Balochistan politics on an un-assumed perception. It is really strange and must be a surprise for the political pundits of the Balochistan scene.

There are concentrated efforts to dislodge the PML-N at the Centre and also in the Punjab—the power base of the ruling party. It seems that both the major parties are in tacit agreement in seeking removal of PML-N Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and finally dislodged the PML-N from the Centre and in the Punjab.

Can Pakistan afford holding election on schedule or ahead of schedule in the present security environment of the entire region? Pakistan’s relations with the erstwhile strategic partner United States are sub-normal with a serious trust deficit between the two countries.

Pakistan’s relation with its traditional foe is tense and the unwarranted tension is increasing with every passing day. There is exchange of fire on the LoC and also on the working boundary leaving score of people dead from both sides. Indian troops on the borders are found targeting the military positions deliberately in order to further increase tension and make the border hot.

Pakistan’s relation with Afghanistan is unfriendly rather hostile with the Kabul Government and leaders leveling wild allegations against Pakistan and its defence forces. Today’s newspapers carried the statement of President Ashraf Ghani accusing Pakistan of sheltering anti-Afghan militants on its soil.

Pakistan always denied these allegations considering it wild and propaganda stunt against Pakistan. The relations with Iran are cold for quite some time due to lack of trust between the two countries.

However, Pakistan is making frantic attempts to break the ice and improve its relations with Iran, a brotherly Muslim country on our border. On the contrary, Iran is involved in firing Mortar shells and rockets on the Pakistani territory without any provocations. Today’s newspaper carried a story that Iranian security guards had lobbed several Mortar shells in Panjgur Area. No one was injured in the random shelling.

It is strange that some desperate and naïve politicians on the top are demanding election on schedule or ahead of schedule ignoring the realities on the ground, mainly the adverse security environment around Pakistan or in the whole region where Americans can be involved in any misadventure against Iran on one pretext or the other.

Pakistan can ill afford uncertainty in business, trade, politics and administration or paralyzing the entire administration till a new Government is elected and installed.

Elections will bring uncertainty in the country and in such an abnormal conditions, it is difficult that the Establishment will opt for elections with slight political pressure. It will be a misadventure. First we have to bring order in our country and later think about the regime change through elections.