How Imran Khan strengthens Shehbaz govt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s unending fight with the establishment is the main source of strength for the Shehbaz Sharif government.

The jailed PTI founder chairman, in a recent media talk during his trial in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) corruption reference, had said that the Shehbaz Sharif government would not last more than four to five months. He believed that the government’s fall will pave the way for his release from Adiala Jail.

Khan though sets his eye on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to see it happen, ignores how his continuing confrontation with the establishment and PTI’s attacks on the institution of army actually make him the source of strength for the Shehbaz Sharif government.

The PPP is not a part of the federal cabinet but sources said that it has assured complete cooperation to Shehbaz government in response to getting some top constitutional posts, including that of the president of Pakistan, senate chairman, deputy speaker National Assembly and two governors. 

Some believe that the PPP may even join the cabinet after the Shehbaz government takes some unpopular decisions and does the privatisation of Pakistan International Airline (PIA); there was no such understanding reached between the two sides at the time of the formation of the government.

Traditionally strength of the civil governments in Pakistan is more dependent on government-establishment relationship than anything else. In the past, governments even enjoying two-third majority could not complete tenures because of their troubled relations with the establishment. On the contrary, Shehbaz Sharif-led last Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government with 13 coalition partners successfully sailed through, mainly because of the establishment’s complete support.

On the one side, Asif Ali Zardari’s presence in the presidency is seen by different stakeholders as an assurance for Shehbaz government and on the other side the top military command in its last corps commanders conference offered full support to the new government. In the same meeting, it resolved to bring to justice to the planners and attackers of May 9.

According to the ISPR press release issued after the corps commanders conference, “Forum reiterated to continue providing full support to the government in combating security threats and uplifting the socioeconomic growth in the country including wholehearted assistance in curbing all illegal activities including smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft, implementation of One Document Regime and respectable & safe repatriation of all illegal foreigners."

In line with the resolve of the honorable prime minister of Pakistan, the forum committed that planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators/desecrators of Shuhada Monuments and attackers of military installations on May 9, would certainly be brought to justice under the relevant provisions of the law and Constitution. In this regard, malicious efforts to create distortions, confusion and disinformation are absolutely futile and only part of an organised campaign being launched for narrow political interests, to blur the abhorrent activities that took place.”

A few days back, Imran Khan again held the establishment, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and caretaker government responsible for manipulations in elections. 

Meanwhile, PTI also organised a protest in Washington to block the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for Pakistan besides doing a smear campaign against the Pakistan Army. While the military authorities are sensitive about May 9, Imran Khan picked up for Senate seats some of those charged with allegations of attack on military installations. 

Thus, the gap between the PTI and establishment, instead of being bridged, is further widening. Politically, it suits Shehbaz Sharif government no matter how seriously its legitimacy is questioned or how vulnerable it is seen by some.

Originally published in The News