State of play

Imran Khan has reportedly given the PTI the go-ahead to negotiate with the establishment. What was all the long-drawn fuss and anti-establishment rhetoric for then? There is also the question of how exactly one can guarantee that Imran Khan and the PTI will abide by the terms of any deal. While the party has suffered greatly since May 9 and there are widespread allegations of rigging in this year’s general elections, one cannot deny that Imran Khan has made several blunders and wasted many opportunities. These include gross mismanagement of the country’s economy during his tenure as PM, resigning from assemblies, refusing to talk to other major parties and launching his party into an unnecessary conflict with the establishment. Now the economy has started showing some signs of stability and the IMF appears to be more comfortable with the present setup. While the PPP-PMLN coalition may not be ideal, it is the best of a range of suboptimal choices. In this scenario, Imran Khan is unlikely to be given the chance to disturb the current setup. The country needs stability until the next election and to implement reforms. Thus, it seems quite unlikely that the PTI will gain any power in the centre. At best, they might be able to get some of their workers out of jail and/or legal trouble. But even as far as this goes, their captain’s obdurate and unreliable nature will be a major obstacle.

Gulsher Panhwer

Johi