Imran — cornered tiger or bull in a china shop

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan had warned, a few days back, that he might become a “cornered tiger” but in fact he has turned out to be a bull in a china shop.

In his latest public statement regarding the army chief appointment, he has tried to discredit the future chief at a time when nobody even knows who would be the army chief. It appears Imran’s frustration has attained new heights.

No matter how, and whether it is legal, illegal, constitutional or unconstitutional, Imran Khan wants early elections. Frustrated Khan has really become dangerous and what he and his party leaders have started doing, it is really hurting for Pakistan and its institutions.

First Shahbaz Gill’s tried to undermine institutions through his anti-army statement, then Shaukat Tarin took on the state’s interests by his attempt to foil IMF’s bailout programme for Pakistan, and now Imran Khan latest utterance is an effort to politicise the appointment of new army chief. There are a series of actions and utterances from the PTI which shows Khan and his party leaders frustration to get early elections reaching such a level that they see no ethics, morality and even don’t care about the interest of the institution and the country.

Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Athar Minallah is a known champion of freedom of speech. At times he is criticised for giving extra concessions to those who are alleged of crossing the limits of free speech. In this case, even the IHC CJ was disappointed over Imran Khan’s latest statement in which the PTI chief had said a new army chief was going to be appointed in November this year, and they (Zaradri and Nawaz) jointly wanted to appoint a favourite [General] as the next army chief. Both have committed corruption worth billions, and they wanted to appoint such an army chief who could provide protection to them and their corruption, Imran Khan alleged, and stated Zardari and Nawaz fear a strong and patriotic army chief, who could hold them accountable for the looted money they had stashed abroad.

Khan’s statement compelled the IHC CJ to remark that everything has been put at stake for a “game of thrones”. Athar Minallah paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Armed Forces and stated, “Pakistan’s armed forces lay down their lives for us.”

Irked by Khan’s statement, the IHC CJ said that Imran Khan should not expect relief from the courts. The judge asked Khan if he wanted to demoralise the Pakistan Army by making such a statement. On Monday even the President Arif Alvi sounded perturbed over Khan’s statement and asked Imran Khan to clarify his statement. According to media reports, the president in his talk with media persons in Peshawar, praised the Army, its role and sacrifices. Imran Khan’s statement is a clear attempt to pressurise and politicise the future army chief from whom he wants full support for his political interest but in case the new COAS stays neutral and follows the directions of the sitting government, then Khan could attack the new top military commander as well.

His statement created doubts about the new army chief at a time when no one knows who would be the next COAS. Anyone who acts as per Khan’s wishes and whims will be declared “patriotic”. What about others? Khan needs to clarify. Interestingly Khan expects from the new army chief to do the accountability of Nawaz and Zardari whereas there is no such role for the COAS in law and the Constitution of Pakistan. Ever since his ouster from the Prime Minister Office, Imran Khan’s main target has been the country’s military establishment whom he alleges of being part of US conspiracy to remove his government. After his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill’s incitement to encourage mutiny in the Army, Imran Khan’s latest statement is also seen by many as crossing military’s redlines.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army also expressed shock at Khan’s “anti-military statements”. The military’s media wing, in its formal statement, shared that the institution is “aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for statements about the senior leadership of Pakistan Army” by Khan.