Imran Khan: crushed between 2 giant wheels- Establishment & US Lalit k kaul

 

Imran Khan: Crushed between the two giant Wheels- Establishment and US

                                                         Lalit K Kaul

It’s no secret that in Pakistan without the Establishment's backing no leader of any political party can become the PM even if he/she may have backing of the people in Pakistan. Despite political parties and conduction of elections, it is innate to the Pak's political system that the PM shall be selected and not truly elected. That is to say a political party shall win in the elections if and only if the Establishment has selected its chief to be the next PM.

The tenure of a PM in Pakistan is also subject to his/her total submission to the Establishment; the countdown for exit of a PM starts the moment he/she defies the authority on some policy matter(s).

Historically no PM of Pakistan was able to complete the term of 5 years because the front-end of Establishment, the Army Chief, is the real boss and no PM could live up to the expectations of the Chief.

The Establishment has judicial murder to its credit; the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The Constitution of Pakistan:

The most prostituted document in Pakistan; manipulated and changed by the Establishment to secure its ends. It is perpetually under threat of annihilation because Pakistan’s polity is ever pulled in different directions by self defined/ declared 1)Fundamentalists, 2) Neo Fundamentalists, 3) Islamists, 4) Liberal Democrats and 5) Islamic Socialists, etc. Each one has its own philosophy of governance, but find themselves torn between modernism & 7^th century doctrine. The ultra right outfits like TTP & TLP supported by other jihadi outfits are eternal threats to the very existence of a modern Nation State of Pakistan.

The Institutions (Pillars) of Democratic Nation State:

Be it the SC, NAB, EC and Media/Press, they are all subservient to the Establishment; that is to say that they pass an order/ give a directive/ report an event only as per the dictates of the Army Chief who is the face of the Establishment. A corrupt PM shall be protected/ an upright judge shall be harassed under the orders of the Boss.

Given that in no democratic dispensation, the institutions are a 100% independent within their jurisdiction, but in Pakistan they are bonded handmaidens of the Establishment.

The Role of US in Internal Dynamics of Pakistan:

Despite the ideologues and intellectuals including Ullema working out a philosophical basis for the birth of a free Muslim Nation, the fact of the history is that despite the political aspirations of Muslim Middle class in undivided India, it was the geo-political requirements/interests of UK & US in West Asia & Afghanistan (in regard to the USSR during cold war) that finally mattered in the birth of a baby the Western powers could play with.

Pakistan has always bowed to the demands of US in facilitating realization of her geo-political goals and in return Pak has received billions of American dollars which enriched the Establishment & not the masses of Pakistan. Be it Afghan resistance against the occupier USSR; the military action by the US against AL Qaeda & Taliban in Afghanistan, post 9/11 and offering Americans bases on Pak soil, the Establishment (Pak government, if it pleases one) went along with the US. It didn’t hesitate to be an active partner in the US crusade against the very Taliban that it had nurtured, promoted and supported politically.

In nutshell Pak was always for sale for hefty dollar pay cheques.

“Absolutely Not”:

If there were ever two words challenging the status quo those were “Absolutely Not”. It doesn’t matter whether at that point of time the US had asked for bases in Pakistan; it  was a statement by a PM of a sovereign Nation that pre-empted any request/order the US would have liked to    make/place anytime in future for its plans in Afghanistan post withdrawal; some respectable political analysts said that there was no need for such a statement from the PM as US hadn’t asked for any; some said that US was asking for air corridor over Pak & displayed their defeatist mindset by posing a question: what can Pak do if US planes fly over her air space without permission! This is absolute surrender of a Nation’s pride to a Nation State which wants to achieve its gro-political aims at all costs.

It's that status quo and submissive mindset of a Nation that Imran Khan wanted to change and transform; transform into a Nation that speaks to the outside world at her terms without sacrificing her interests.

And, for that he was crucified; saying No to US straightway means loss of billions of dollars for Establishment & therefore Imran Khan had to be unseated.

That he was ousted through a vote of no Confidence can fool only those who are ignorant about the grip the Establishment has over each and every politician belonging to a political party; since 5 to 6 months prior to the no Confidence motion, the political analysts kept saying that it won’t come through without the nod of the Establishment. Thus even the National Assembly is subservient to the Establishment.

The Only Failure:

Unfortunately for Imran Khan his government failed on economic front, but then no PM can claim to be the Economist. PM needs an economic adviser & Imran Khan had got one from outside who was a renowned economist, but had to be removed because he was an Ahmedia! That’s the irrationality one has to contend with in Pakistan! His Finance Ministers didn’t deliver with the result that public opinion went against him- the leader who had promised Naya Pakistan.

Under the garb of economic failure leading to rising inflation, the Establishment decided to exit him from the office of PM of Pakistan but the main reason was loss of American dollars because of “Absolutely Not”. Establishment got more concerned about damage control with US; post removal of Imran Khan positive vibes started coming from US!

Ukrainians are fighting for the pride of their Nation; Palestinians- now for decades- for pride of Palestine; but it was not to be for Pakistan to fight for her pride and strive to come out of the hegemony of US. So Imran Khan had to go.