Statesman, Do Look In

The opposition plans a march to topple him and the economy is sick. That’s a handful for Imran.

- Pranay Sharma

The public image of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan being in suave, unflappable, consummate control of his nation’s polity is not, it seems, supported by ground realities. The brave front put up by Imran notwithstanding, things are unravelling fast for him.

Already under mounting pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for his inability to take adequate action to curb terrorists operating from Pakistani soil, Imran is now facing a new challenge from within that threatens to throw him out of power.

A nine-party alliance of the major opposition political parties has come together, demanding that the Pakistani premier be ousted for his all-round failure to rule judiciously.

And, in step with well-rehearsed Pakistani practice, on October 31 they plan to organise a 1.5 million-strong rally— dubbed the ‘Azadi March’—from Lahore and other regions to Islamabad. Their goal—nothing less than the overthrow of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. Their main grouse— Imran’s supposed failure to deliver on his electoral promise of a ‘new Pakistan’, with development and prosperity for all.

Ever the showman, Imran had spent much of his time sprucing his image as a liberal peacenik who wanted stability in South Asia and beyond, while ignoring much of the pressing problems at home.

India’s August 5 decision to abrogate Article 370 of its Constitution that gave offered special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union territories had caught the Imran Khan government by surprise. Under mounting pressure from political detractors, the PM was forced to raise his pitch several notches, adopting an extremely hardline position against India.

He followed it up with attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, with largely disappointing results.