The rapid transformation of the political landscape has left many wondering: How did the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) swiftly go from being a popular political party to being branded as an anti-state entity by all, especially after the events of May 9th, known as "The Black Day"? The sudden changes and seismic shifts in Pakistani politics have led some to speculate that the government or establishment may have successfully dismantled the PTI. Allow me to clarify that this is primarily about pressuring the Supreme Court and avoiding disqualification for failing to conduct elections. The government's initial move was to influence the Supreme Court's contempt of court verdict regarding the failure to hold elections on May 14th through a "Dharna". However, the Chief Justice cleverly countered this by not passing any ruling and rescheduling future proceedings.
Now, the government has taken its second step by invoking the Army Act, branding the PTI as a terrorist party, arresting its leadership, and pressuring them to withdraw their support from the PTI. In this scenario, either the PTI will withdraw from the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections, or the Supreme Court will seek a middle ground, leading to a consensus on conducting collective provincial and federal elections. Consequently, you will witness the sudden release of all PTI leaders and workers from imprisonment. However, if the PTI insists on demanding the provincial elections and pursues the case in the Supreme Court, resulting in the disqualification of the Prime Minister and the cabinet, the true battle will begin, and it will be a survival of the fittest. These uncertainties will be clarified by Monday, May 22nd.
The government's extensive use of arrests and severe cases under the Army Act cannot be sustained in a democratic society. This is essentially a threat by the government, indicating that if they are forced to sink, they will bring down the PTI with them. It's like a chess game unfolding before us. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from becoming emotional, excited, or panicked until the checkmate is achieved. However, it is important to remember that in politics, there is no definitive checkmate for anyone; the game simply keeps evolving. Checkmates in politics typically manifest as either martial laws or revolutions.