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OPINION OCTOBER 06, 2023 | The Indian Eye 12

page throughout the country and even es and prominent TV journalists. The
targeted security institutions. diary has details about Imran Khan’s
This was unprecedented in Paki- daily routine and engagement on
stan’s history. It is interesting to note a day to day basis. It seems such ex-
that while security installations were clusive information was provided
under attack, military did not try to to Javed Chaudhry to malign Im-
stop those involved in it. Initially, the ran Khan and dent his public image.
official line was that military practiced It is difficult to predict the out-
restraint and did not go after the ci- come of the ongoing political crisis
vilians. Later it was decided to take in Pakistan. However, analysts rightly
stern action against those involved. believe that this election, whenever it
Some people believe that Imran has takes place, is going to be a test of Ar-
done the unthinkable in Pakistan—he my’s predominance in Pakistani poli-
has successfully divided the Pakistan tics. The Army is considered to be the
Army from within. It is believed that only well founded ‘Political Party’ in
the lower rung of the Pakistan Army Pakistan that never contests election
is favouring Imran Khan. The recent directly but remains in power all the
amendments to the Official Secret The New Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa may have his issues with Imran Khan and the establish- time. Nothing can be conclusively said
Act and Pakistan Army Act indicate ment in the past, but he has been an upright judicial officer throughout his career (File photo) about the fate of Imran khan and PTI
that the argument regarding a division at this juncture. Imran Khan’s favou-
in Pakistan Army appears plausible as has assumed charge. (PILDAT) Chairman Ahmad Bilal rite Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial
these amendments are aimed to reg- Article 224 of the Constitution Mahboob in his Op-Ed for The Dawn has retired.
ulate armed forces personnel, even says that “A general election to the argued that ever since the first direct The New Chief Justice Qazi Faez
after their retirement. National Assembly or a provincial as- election in 1970, none of the political Isa may have his issues with Imran
Using the 9 May incident as Paki- sembly shall be held within a period of parties were allowed to regain power Khan and the establishment in the
stan’s 9/11, the security establishment sixty days immediately following the immediately at the federal level after past, but he has been an upright ju-
has come up with a new strategy to day on which the term of the assembly it was removed or fell out of favour dicial officer throughout his career.
marginalise Imran Khan and his Pa- is due to expire, unless the assembly with the Pakistan Army. In the past, he has not shied away
kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the has been sooner dissolved.” Although Pakistan Army has al- from questioning the role of powerful
political landscape. Trying civilians in After the dissolution of Nation- ways tried to craft new political narra- stakeholders including politico-securi-
military courts under Pakistan Army al Assembly, a number of PML-N tives at home and mainstream it effec- ty elites in the country. He is known
Act and Official Secret Act is part of leaders, including former Cabinet tively, in case of Imran Khan, this isn’t for his suo motu notices on Hazara
the strategy. Top PTI leadership in- Ministers, are talking about election working as efficiently as it was expect- Killings in Balochistan by Lashkar-
cluding Imran Khan and Shah Mah- happening in February 2024. PML-N ed to. His imprisonment in Attock e-Jhangvi, the killings of Baloch Na-
mood Qureshi might be the ones be- leader Rana Sanaullah, who served as Jail, instead of putting a dampener to tionalist leaders in 2009, and the role
ing tried under these acts, as had been the interior minister during PDM gov- his popularity, is in fact increasing it. of state functionaries during Faizabad
indicated by Chief of Army Staff Gen. ernment’s tenure, in an interview to Pakistan Army is determined to not sit-in by Tahreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan
Asim Munir in Formation Command- Geo TV’s anchor Shahzeb Khanzada let Imran Khan come out of prison (TLP) in 2017. Isa has also questioned
ers Conference held on 7 June 2023. stated that “Nawaz Sharif is sure that and lead his party in the elections. So- the dubious role of state agencies in-
After initial denial, the ruling es- elections will take place in February. cial media is hyperactive and polarised cluding ISI and noted his disappoint-
tablishment moved forward to bring Delimitation of constituencies has to between pro and anti-Imran Khan. ment in the way ISI interferes in mat-
another technicality in play to further be completed before then, and it will Army’s narrative is challenged by PTI ters of political significance.
delay the election. On 5 August, the be completed by December.” supporters and sympathizers on vari- It was Justice Isa who had also
government called the meeting of the Some of the opposition parties ous social media platforms. They see opposed Nawaz Sharif’s removal un-
Council of Common Interest (CCI) are objecting to such statements com- the development as Imran Khan vs der Article 62 (1) (f) which required
to approve the new digital census. ing not from the Election Commission Army top brass and are not ready to a member of National Assembly to
The CCI in its meeting unanimously but by the PML-N leaders. PPP in accept even logical arguments against be Sadiq and Ameen (Honest and
approved the digital census to make particular has questioned such state- Imran Khan. Righteous). Justice Qazi Faez Isa,
way for new delimitation of the con- ments. Amid debate over the tim- Although the mainstream me- therefore, has displayed courage to
stituencies. ing of general election, the Election dia is not favouring Imran Khan, it is confront powerful actors including
With this new development, un- Commission on 21 September 2023 also not helping the establishment to political elites, the military establish-
der Section 17 (2) of Election Act, announced that the election would be propagate its narrative in a big way. At ment, and religious outfits. A lot will
fresh delimitation of the constituen- held in the last week of January 2024. present, the Army is finding it difficult depend on what kind of role he plays
cies are required. The Section 17 (2) As the Chief Justice Umar Ata to control the mainstream media. Giv- in the coming days.
of the Election Act categorically states Bandial, considered to be a protector en the situation, it seems that Pakistan
that ‘The commission shall delimit and saviour of Imran Khan, has re- Army has resorted to a new tactic
constituencies after every census is of- tired on 16 September 2023 and Jus- which focuses on social media influ- Dr Ashish Shukla is Associate Fellow at
ficially published’.18 As expected, the tice Qazi Faez Isa has taken over as encers to propagate its point of view Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence
Election Commission announced to the new Chief Justice, analysts believe to the people of Pakistan. These influ- Studies and Analyses
take up the delimitation process and the judicial cushion will no longer be encers are regularly given access to ex- Views expressed are of the author and
made it clear that the elections would available to Imran Khan. In such a sit- clusive information and documents to do not necessarily reflect the views of
not take place within 90 days after the uation, remnant of PTI, if not banned ensure their credibility in people’s eye. the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
dissolution of the National Assembly, on the pretext of 9 May violence, will For example, Javed Chaudhry, Government of India.
as indicated by the ruling dispensa- have to participate in the next election who runs a YouTube channel ‘Neu- The full version of this article first
tion. On 9 August 2023, President Arif without Imran Khan and Shah Mah- tral by Javed Chaudhry’ got access appeared in the Comments section of
Aliv dissolved the National Assembly mood Qureshi. If this happens, the to Bushra Bibi’s diary, which Imran the website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar
on advice of the Prime Minister Sheh- electoral outcome could be on famil- Khan used to carry with him all the Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies
baz Sharif following which a caretaker iar lines. Pakistan Institute of Legisla- time. He disclosed things that were and Analyses, New Delhi on September
set-up under Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar tive Development and Transparency unknown to mainstream media hous- 21, 2023

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