Page 12 - The Indian EYE 022324
P. 12

OPINION                                                           FEBRUARY 23, 2024        |  The Indian Eye 12



        Military courts,  under which many
        of Khan’s supporters tried vandalis-
        ing Army installations and attacking
        the Corp Commander’s house, were
        strengthened by Shehbaz Sharif’s
        government.
            The return of Nawaz Sharif to
        Pakistan and his acquittal from sev-
        eral cases in which he was accused
        gave rise to the assumption that he
        was  the favoured  candidate  of the
        establishment. However, Nawaz has
        withdrawn from the prime ministe-
        rial race and has blessed his young-
        er brother, Shehbaz, to become the
        premier for the second time. Inter-
        estingly, the PML-N has marginally
        improved its number of seats—it had
        won 64 seats in the National Assem-
        bly in 2018 despite Sharif’s adverse
        relations with Army, and has won 75
        seats this time, when he is touted as a
        favourite of the Army.

        While the PTI campaigned
        against the Army’s interfer-

        ence in politics and the im-                   The PTI, which formed a coalition government stitched by the military with the support of other parties,
        prisonment of their leader in                                       could not last the five-year term (File photo)
        corruption cases, the most  In fact, many of the demonstrations     unity.                            close relations with the Army, which
        frivolous case against him was    organised by the PTI at that time     A fractured mandate has al-   is perhaps the best bet for the coa-
                                          revolved around this issue, which   ways given the Army the space to   lition’s longevity. During his tenure
        he being sentenced to seven  led to the setting up of the Judicial   call the shots. After the 2008 transi-  as the Prime Minister, he sufficient-
        years in prison on the ground     Commission,  whose  findings  reject-  tion to democracy, the PPP and the   ly empowered the military. For the
                                                                                                              Army, the choice was clear: Anyone
                                                                            PML-N as political parties retained
                                          ed Khan’s claims. They are trying to
        of iddat. This also demonstrat-   bring back the same narrative now   power in the Centre even though   but Imran Khan. Khan has been able
        ed that the poster boy of the     to argue that it is the Army that has   their prime ministers were removed   to  mobilise  youth,  and  for  the  first
                                          manipulated the election to deny the   through judicial verdicts. The PTI,   time, the Army has faced severe do-
        Army was turned into a villain  PTI majority in the Parliament by   which formed a  coalition  govern-  mestic opposition to its role. During
        as serious differences cropped    stealing votes. There is no denying   ment stitched by the military with   Khan’s rule, the Army was divided
                                          the fact that despite all odds, Khan
                                                                                                              over their approach to Imran Khan.
                                                                            the support of other parties, could
        up between him and the estab-     still retains popularity compared to   not last the five-year term as the Ju-  As of now, seven independents have
        lishment over the Army chief’s    the PML-N and PPP.                diciary opened in the middle of the   already joined the PML-N. Some
                                                                            night to ensure that Khan stands for
                                                                                                              may join in the future—a possibility
                                              The party that almost lost pop-
        appointment.                      ularity in 2021-22 in the face of a   a floor test to prove his majority in   that  cannot  be  ruled  out.  With  the
                                          rising economic crisis has persisted,   the house which he failed.  election for 60 reserved seats for
                                          as Imran remained adamant on his      The Army’s ability to play one   women and 10 for minorities, the
            After the conclusion of this elec-
        tion, where the PTI could not fight   stance not to approach the IMF. He   party against another is well known.   coalition will have a comfortable
                                                                            It empowered the PTI as both the
                                          turned the table on his detractors
                                                                                                              majority to sail through the next five
        on its election symbol of Bat, his sup-  when he attributed his loss of ma-  PPP and the PML-N were critical   years if they decide to stick together.
        porters continued to harp on rigging.   jority in Parliament to Western con-  of the Army and its interference.   Political instability will only add
        They happily accepted the blatant   spiracy. He criticised his benefactors   Nawaz  Sharif  filed  a  treason  case   to Pakistan’s economic predicaments
        electoral support that the Army ex-  for interfering in politics and being   against General Musharraf, which   as the country faces severe economic
        tended to them earlier, which result-  above the law. He also accused the   he later admitted as one of the caus-  challenges  with  rising  inflation  and
        ed in the Party increasing its seats   Army of being petrified of his pop-  es for his conviction in the Panama   nearly $30 billion in debt servicing.
        from 27 in 2013 to 115 in 2018. In   ularity and, therefore, arresting him.  Paper corruption case and subse-
        April  2018,  Sharif  was  disqualified                             quent  disqualification.  In  most  of
        from contesting the election as per     ADVANTAGE ARMY?             these cases, the Supreme Court of   Smruti S Pattanaik is a research fellow
        the provision of 62(1)(f) to facilitate   Social media is rife with the as-  Pakistan did not hesitate to do the   at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for
        Khan’s victory. This ban for life was   sumption that the Army could not   bidding on behalf of the Army. Part   Defence Studies and Analyses, New
        lifted by the Supreme Court prior to   manage  the  election  as  the  PTI-  of its judgement stemmed from the   Delhi, India.
        the 2024 election as the court said   backed independents, popularly   judicial activism under former Chief
        that the ban cannot be more than   known as Azad, won many seats.   Justice Iftekhar Chowdhury, and         This article first appeared
        five years and is against fundamental   However, several reports in the print   partly, it was dictated by the expedi-  in the Comments section of the website
        rights to contest election.       media allege irregularity in the elec-  ency of the situation.        (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Parrikar
            The PTI’s narrative since 2013   tion even as the establishment calls                             Institute for Defence Studies and Anal-
        has been that their votes were stolen.   for politicians to show maturity and   Shehbaz Sharif is known to have   yses, New Delhi


                                                               www.TheIndianEYE.com
   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17