According to Chrystine Oksana, author of the book Safe Passage to Healing, the truth will outlast any campaigns mounted against it, no matter how mighty, clever, or long. Truth is invincible. It’s only a matter of which generation is willing to face it and, in so doing, to protect future generations from ritual abuse. This statement is relevant to the current political situation in Pakistan.
After a huge amount of propaganda and political engineering, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was brought to power last month by the military establishment. It was expected by many critics that sooner or later the incompetence of Khan and the PTI to run state and political affairs would be exposed, but no one expected that from Day 1 it would be showing its true face.
It has been a shaky start for the military-backed civilian government. The military’s man, the new prime minister of Pakistan, is still in the mode of opposition politics and with each passing day, he just tries to marginalize his opponents and dissenting voices.
In the very first meeting of his cabinet, Khan’s sole focus was to put the names of Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on the exit control list and to find new ways of for both Sharif and his daughter to face more corruption charges.
Then came the journalists’ turn. Saleem Safi, a renowned journalist and columnist, pointed out in a TV program that Sharif during his tenure had paid his personal expenses out of his own pocket during his stay at Prime Minister House. He also referred to the frequent use of a helicopter by Imran Khan to travel to the Office of the Prime Minister from his residence, which is just a few kilometers away.
In response, the PTI social-media wing and party allies started a notorious campaign against Safi. In another incident, a police officer in Punjab was transferred simply because his police team had stopped the ex-husband of the first lady of Pakistan to check the licenses of the arms his guards were carrying.
Pakistan Railways’ chief commercial manager is in hot water because he asked for leave as a result of what he called the insulting behavior of the PTI government’s new railway minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad.
If this was not enough, a controversial call from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo exposed the inability of the current government and Imran Khan to understand foreign-policy protocols and dynamics, as it almost created a rift between the two countries. According to the US State Department, Pompeo congratulated Khan on his victory but also delivered the message that the new government in Pakistan should take stern action against alleged terrorist organizations on its soil.
But Khan, as usual in a hurry to prove his legitimacy, issued his own version of the conversation with Pompeo, and according to that version the top US diplomat congratulated him on his victory and told him the US was looking forward to working with him. In the end, it was a State Department press release that revealed the truth of the exchange, and it upset the military establishment.
The wrath of the military establishment forced the PTI government to issue a statement that the US State Department must correct itself as it was factually wrong. Of course, the US never accepted this request from the Pakistani government.
This actually embarrassed Pakistan before the whole world, and it showed the incapability of the current government of handling sensitive diplomatic issues.
When he was prime minister, Nawaz Sharif absorbed the pressure from the establishment and instead asked it to take action against extremist organizations. But the PTI appears to be facing a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has to appease the military establishment all the time in order to survive in government, and on the other hand, it has to deliver the promises it made during the last five years.
Perhaps Khan doesn’t understand the art of running a state and political affairs. His wishful thinking of turning the country into a progressive economy through charity is nothing more than a hallucination, as countries or states are never run or built on charities. Likewise talking about the lavish lifestyles and protocols of political opponents is very easy but to adopt a simple lifestyle and shun protocol is not that easy.
Since Khan’s regime is backed by the establishment, he might be getting some breathing space unlike previous elected governments, but he will not be spared by the opposition or by the large section of the masses who still accuse him of stealing their mandate. Right now instead of implementing its first-100-days plan, the government is busy lashing out at opponents and dissenting journalists. Meanwhile, the division in society is getting wider and wider.
While there is a segment of society that blindly loves Imran Khan and the military establishment, there is also a large segment of society that strongly hates the policies of the establishment and dislikes Khan for being the establishment’s puppet. The affairs of state remain hostage to the powerful establishment and the immature political party PTI is not going to end this divide, as it actually believes in victimization and takes criticism as enmity.
It will be a very tough road ahead for both the establishment and the PTI-led government, and they should realize now that it is time to do some damage control by really contributing to the economic and social growth of the country, as the cost of bringing Imran Khan into power seems to be too heavy for society and the country.
Almost an entire generation of youth has been fed hateful propaganda against the opponents of Imran Khan and the dissidents’ voices against the establishment. The entire leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) is being victimized, and both Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam are sitting behind bars.
The whole judiciary and Election Commission of Pakistan have lost their credibility, so the establishment and Imran Khan both should know that now there is no way back for them: If they fail to bring prosperity and economic progress as promised, the entire system will collapse. This leaves the question to be asked of the establishment: Was it worth it to take that much risk to get rid of the dissenting Sharif and bring a puppet like Khan into power?
Childish writer 😛 Bacha na naya naya blog likhna seekh lia :p
Muhammad Fayyaz
No my Canon Is at everyone who says that we should use good words for this corrupt mafia. No we shouldn’t use good words because what they did with our country is worse. They should be severly punished under law and they should be seen by bad eyes
Tim Kard , is your canon aimed at me?
Yes calling Oiii to corrupt rulers is a sin
Calling thieves to them is a sin.
Calling them lafafa journalist is sin.
Do you call that person with respect who just steal wheel of your cycle .Do you speak up for them as well.
Thanks
Cult Maverick
Now courts has changed aswell. And let me make your facts right sir. Leaving international terrorist is not descion of courts. It depends on government. If you talking about Raymond Davis then corrupt government made a deal with them. In this present government Khan will not let such deals happen and people like mumtaz qadri will not be showered with rose petals. Every body will be equal to law and will be punished. You will see change so talking about past is different. We are talking about new government not old dramas. So think forward not backward
Thanks.
The same court which set international terrorists free to spit venom against world and where mumtaz kadiri are showered with rose petals.????????
With great apology, I posted my comment and then saw the comments of other "large section of the masses" , sir Imad Zafar please conduct a survey even here in the comment section of this page, you will come to know what really the "large section of masses" has to say in reply to your baseless accusations? Mere barking of a group of five to ten biriyani fed PATWARIS on military doesn’t mean that elections were rigged. You must analyse impartially if you pride as a true journalist and not the otherwise, I don’t want to use the cheap words "LAFAFA journalist " as one of the participants has used. Next time we expect a pragmatic and not a paid content(shooting arrows in the dark) from a renowned writer like you. Thanks
This writer should listen to this video. ????
https://youtu.be/x0iqRTiQKzs
"large section of the masses who still accuse him of stealing their mandate" I don’t know which large section of the masses, worthy writer of this article is mentioning. As a lay man what I see in the streets is going pretty much in favour of IK instead of former PM Nawaz Sharif who may be a good businessman but statesman he is not at all. Writer is merely levelling allegations without concrete evidence against military to the rigging in elections, hence his opinion deserves outright rejection. Naive he(IK) may be but corrupt he is not. Every Pakistani would like the present government to bring back all the looted wealth of Pakistan, regardless of the fact, whoever is involved in looting. Whether it’s Nawaz Sharif or Imran Khan himself, the large section of masses wants the accountability process must be extended to everyone who is involved in corruption. And such a move must be welcomed by every citizen of Pakistan. The present scenario shows "criminal poses as a judge" , so , let the corrupt cry as they will cry when they are brought to justice.
As on social media Salim Safi is renamed Salim Lifafi same Lifafi can be suffixed to Imdad as Imdad Zafar Lifafi. He has the cheeks to compare 30 years of power enjoyed by Sherif brothers and that of one week of IK. Those have sane mind can well judge the worth of this artcle. Support of military to become ruler of country is just normal in Pakistan. But to be honest and not involved in money laundering is a hall mark which gives hope for IK to be successful. Mr IZ please have some patience and give IK a chance.
Everybody gave vote to PTI… Get over it now PML – N losers !
Lol… The writer of this article seems to be a PML – N loser
I could not aspect that such a substandard column could be written for and published by an international newspaper .
Asian Times you should revisit your policy for publishing articles so that below quality non-professional articles are not accepted. This article is just a chracter assassination attempt and an assemblage of lies and propaganda.
Extremely biased and far from truth analaysis. The fact is Khan has been the most popular leader of the Country since 2012 according to almost all the surveys that were published during this period. The fact is his party lost in the election 2013 because of massive rigging in the election as pointed out by the Supreme court. The fact is America does not like him becuase he stood agianst its destructive policies.
Well said. Let him give us evidence on this page. Don’t you think it’s good idea. ????
Hi
It’s me again. I wanted to add some thing more.
Please can your share all the evidence on this page as it’s your responsibility to bring people like me from darkness to light. I’m waiting for evidence as I want to watch truth. I hope now you want say you can’t share here. I’m sure you want even reply
Kind regards.
Hi
Please do answer my question if you think you are a professional
First of all this is my first time commenting on anything on social media.
I have read your article and with due reperes this article is nothing but a writting of a small mind and who is afraid of the new system that Khan is bringing. First of all you said that imran Khan is production of establishment. Are you a credible man. If you are talking with evidence then why don’t you go to court, international media or national media and prove it with evidence. As there must be lafafa journalist who can give you some time on TV to speak the truth. As your citizen of this country it’s your responsibility to expose new government infront of people other then writting articles from sofa.
Second you said that Nawaz and maryam. These two people let me tell you something they both used your tax money to buy properties abroad and they couldn’t give money evidence. So if you want to stand with them why don’t you stand with other people in jail if you think they are innocent. And you talked about helicopter, Do you know expense of travel by road or by helicopter. Do your reasearch and then write. And last you talked about Saleem sahafi do you think that Nawaz Sharif spend his money when was in power ?. Make yourelf fool but not public and khawar manika you should do your research properly before writting that what really happened.
My brother try to answer my question because my dear brother journalism is very dignified thing it has been destroyed when it came in hand of some people who talk and write for small amount of money
All fake propagandas are mentioned nor even bothered to double check what happened why Police officer was transferred, what Sheikh Rasheed said because of which Raliway Senior Official requested for two year paid leave. Most importantly, what proof you have to state Military Establishment was involved in making PTI government. Seem as you received a good amount for writing this article – HUH
"According to Chrystine Oksana .. the truth will outlast any campaigns mounted against it."
Wow. This author draws inspiration from a new prophet, rather than from Adam, Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed, plus greats like Buddha, Socrates, Confucius et al who have been saying the same thing for thousands of years.
The author’s late discovery is reflected in the quality of his writing.