Targeting state institutions

Vice President Richard Nixon and Al Gore famously conceded controversial US Presidential elections in 1960 and 2000 respectively despite significant voter fraud in Illinois and Florida. Atal Bihari Vajpayee lost a motion of no confidence by a single vote in Lok Sabha, the Indian parliament but managed to come back strongly in 1998.

By deliberately confronting state institutions, Imran Khan is acting like a petulant child, he has a chance to go back to the masses and win the election, as Nixon did in 1968 or Vajpayee managed to come back in 1998.

Carefully orchestrated street agitation, refusal to accept decisions and criticism on social media platforms will harm PTI politics in the long run. Even their 2014 sit-in dharna was ultimately unsuccessful. Current agitation politics of PTI gives an impression that party officials are looking for one-party rule in the country. Genuine democracies do not work this way. Publicly slamming US or the West is portraying the image of Pakistan as Iran of the late 1970’s or early 80’s.

It appears our country has not learnt any lesson from the PNA movement of 1977 against Bhutto. Phyyric victory it was, as all involved in the PNA movement had to wait for 8 years instead of 90 days for the next general election. Our state institutions require support from public and political parties to strengthen the very foundations which are pillars of Parliamentary democracy.

SUFGHAN SARWAR KHAN

LAHORE

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