- Will infighting help the Kashmir cause?
Several opposition leaders are in custody, some for over a year, because NAB decided to arrest them without collecting sufficient evidence and preparing a strong case. None in the opposition has ever asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to give any concession to them as he has no authority to do so. So far, whatever relief the opposition leaders have got has come from the courts. The PM however does not seem to be satisfied with the directives of the courts and has at times made fun of the relief given. Instead of paying full attention to the dire problems the country is facing, the PM has continued his tirade against his political rivals.
While attending the special session of the AJK Legislative Assembly held to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, Mr Khan was told by AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider how the Kashmiris look at his no-holds-barred fight with the opposition and its implications for their struggle. He called on Mr Khan to rise above divisive issues and take everyone along. The fights on TV talk shows have divided the country, he said, and should be brought to an end. He stressed the need for conciliation, national unity and consensus, for success against the enemy. The Kashmiri politician had in view not only the ongoing mudfest in Pakistan but the contentious propaganda initiated by the PTI leaders of AJK also. At a time when one is facing a common enemy, it is dangerous to indulge in infighting. What Raja Farooq wanted from Mr Khan was to put paid to the ongoing media propaganda against the opposition.
The way Mr Khan reacted to the plea was indicative of his inflexible approach. Unconcerned about the consequences of infighting for the Kashmir cause, he told him not to ask him to reconcile with corrupt people. With the AJK PTI unit fulminating against the leadership of the PML(N), which is the ruling party in AJK, the latter is bound to pay back in the same coin. This would cause divisions among those who need to fight as one man for the Kashmir cause.
