ISLAMABAD - The two-day long showdown between the law enforcers and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers at Lahore’s Zaman Park has further deepened the ongoing political and economic crisis of the country. Clashes broke out on Tuesday between the supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan and the law enforcers after the police stormed his residence to arrest him to execute a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by a local court of Islamabad in the Toshakhana case.
Some better sense prevailed after the police and Rangers, a paramilitary force, stopped the operation till today on the direction of Lahore High Court (LHC).
The high drama that continued for hours has only added more confusion and uncertainty about the present set-up and the fate of the general elections in the two provincial assemblies. In the midst of a crippling economic crisis, the political polarization in the country has reached its new heights. The policy confrontation between Imran Khan and the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement, a coalition of ruling parties, has now taken the shape of a vendetta.
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The legal fraternity has also protested in Lahore against the way adopted by police to execute the arrest warrants.
The reports coming from Washington are worrying as these say that the political situation in Pakistan was causing a delay in finalization of the government’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to get $1.1 billion funds to ward off further economic meltdown.
The government could have avoided direct confrontation with the opposition PTI by just getting an undertaking from Khan that he would surrender before the court on March 18. The court had issued the warrant to ensure his attendance by that date. However, the federal and Punjab interim governments used excessive force to take Khan into custody provoking his followers and resulting in injuring many, both the citizens and the law enforcement personnel.
At the moment, both sides are not ready to step back from their positions. Imran Khan claims that the government wanted to arrest him and throw him out of politics as part of the London Plan. He claims that his life was under threat and a plan has been hatched to kill him. He also says that he was being put in jail to give an open field to his opponents in the upcoming election.
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Both the ruling parties and the critics of PTI say that Khan should have surrendered himself before the police to avoid the conflict and to ensure that rule of law prevails. The government says that it was only executing the court order and had no malafide intention. It also blames that the threat perception created by the former prime minister was not genuine as he has recently led a rally in Lahore. Like the past, all eyes are now on the courts that will finally seal the fate of Khan.