By Sardar Khan Niazi
Unfortunately, the storm of political ambiguity is ruling the country. Stories are once again widespread that the PTI Islamabad long march because of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities is going to pressurize the government to announce instant and impartial general elections as the only solution to crises confronted by the country. It is the democratic and legal right of the PTI to protest against the PDM government policies, on the other hand, stopping the long marchers may have grave consequences for the country, particularly on the economy.
It is surprising the interior ministry in a petition on behalf of the federal government has moved Supreme Court (SC) against Imran Khan, contending that the former premier was making announcements of the long march that was a violation of a court order, which directed him to stage a peaceful protest.
The PTI government had less than three years in power and the PDM political parties did not allow it to complete its term of governance. The citizens of this country are the best judge and let them decide PTI’s fate in the next general elections based on their performance. For the PDM government, it is important to check the inflationary storm that is engulfing the country making life more difficult for the people. People are now openly criticizing the government for price-hikes and these cries are becoming unbearable. The plans thus far announced and being pursued alone will not be enough to bring ease in their life. Instead of upping the political ante, the government must entirely focus on how to provide relief to the masses. In order to check inflation, checking the rupee’s fall against the dollar is necessary. Photos of the anti-government rallies routinely show an intimidating sea of people furiously demanding elections. It is likely that these crowds will achieve what they want. The fervent political energy on the ground is not hugely disproportionate to the practical results of these demonstrations. The PDM rulers have fears. They know that the protests may contribute to the overthrow of the government if it fails to create significant changes in public-related policies. Nobody can predict what will happen after Imran Khan’s intended long march in the federal capital, Islamabad. The hodgepodge groups of people that participate in the rallies have formal affiliations with the goals their leaders desire to realize, a clear vision, and an obvious plan. In fact, the PDM government’s official responses usually amount to little more than rhetorical statements and certainly, the current rulers will have to make major reforms. Long marches sometimes end in a violent confrontation with the police, and more often than not, it simply fizzles out. For PTI street rallies, there is a well-oiled and more-permanent leader’s determination capable of following up on marchers’ demands and undertaking the complex political work that produces real change.There is a powerful political engine running in the streets of many cities. It is turning at high speed and producing a lot of political energy. The engine is connected to the wheels, so the PTI rallies have been fruitful.
Achieving the desired results requires permanent political work that can leverage street rallies into political change and policy reforms. In most cases, that means organized political work. What we have witnessed in recent years is the popularization of street marches with a plan for what happens next and how to keep protesters engaged and integrated into the political process. The PTI Islamabad long march will be the latest manifestation of the idea that it is possible to bring about a change in society with organized work and street protests backed by social media campaigns and sustained political speeches at public rallies.
