By Asif Mahmood
After the October 2011 rally, a new, popular and politically rich Tehreek-e-Insaf was born. The question is, what will the Tehreek-e-Insaf look like after the recent events of Zaman Park.
Popularity is the greatest asset of any political party. Imran Khan is lucky that after losing power, this asset of his political niche has increased instead of decreasing. But now the question is : will this popularity remain an asset of Tehreek-e-Insaf or will it become a disaster for Tehreek-e-Insaaf?
The Tehreek-e-Insaaf is happy that it has discovered a new force after the recent events in Zaman Park. If there are any intellectuals in this party, they should know that the thing are being complicated and these are destined to boubcced back.
Political popularity is definitely a decisive factor in democracy, but democracy is not the name of the dictatorship of the majority. Popularity may go sky high but even then it must be subject to a law and order. If popularity challenges this discipline at any moment, under any title, the result is anarchy.
If the decision-making of an exceptionally popular leader starts leading to chaos the benevolent requirement is to tell to stop and have a pause of reconsideration.
Police went to Zaman Park with a warrant order. It was a non-bailable warrant. It was not that he was being arrested on the orders of a chief minister or a political rival. It was not an administrative order, it was a judicial order. The way it was resisted, it is not admirable. It is a disturbing attitude.
Politics stands on its moral strength, not on petrol bombs, marches and confrontations. What makes it credible is its moral existence, not conflict. The details that have come out about the path taken in Zaman Park do not flatter a political party.
Imran Khan is not the first leader to be summoned to court. The kind of reaction that has been given to this demand is certainly the first of its kind.
Step by step the impression is being given that, like George Orwell’s Animal Farm, there are some people who are ‘somewhat more equal’.
After the incident of Zaman Park, the narrative of Tehreek-e-Insaf is intensifying. Such an environment has been created that there is no political opposition, but two armies are facing each other and the threat is mounting that if the state system does not surrender to Imran Khan, it will be trampled.
The inflammatory reaction is very stimulating. It gives a new strength to the young workers. But if it adopted as a strategy, it returns as a demon and destroys its own ranks.
Tehreek-e-Insaaf needs to be careful with this demon. Time has made it stand on two paths. Mr. Khan has to decide now what his priority is.
