It is deeply unfortunate that the security of millions is being at stake on persistent antipathy between the PTI and the government.
And yet, instead of solving their differences and establishing some rules of commitment, both parties continue to cross lines that should not be crossed. In jail and with the walls apparently approaching, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken an increasingly combative position against the authorities.
It seems that the recent arrest of their nephews, which since then have been released on bail, has caused it greatly. In statements attributed to him and shared from his account X on Thursday, the leader of PTI Incarceado has addressed the KP government and the provincial legislators that resist the military operations that are carried out in the province to eliminate it from the terrorists. This is a dangerous and problematic position, especially given the social sensibilities involved.
Khan seems to believe that military operations are simply a tool to politically hurt his party, which governs the province. He has also affirmed that they are being carried out “simply to please foreign powers.” However, these positions are contradictions for terrestrial realities in KP, where militancy is visibly resurgents and repeated attacks by terrorists have affirmed many lives and have spoiled what hard peace had been achieved in previous years. In fact, there is also a strong local opposition to security operations, because kinetic operations invariably imply the displacement of civil populations and subsequent economic losses due to interrupted livelihoods.
However, citizens seem to be equally cautious of the growing influence of terrorists and other violent actors and do not want a point of support. In this situation, a national leader must propose an intermediate plants solution that protects the interests of citizens while recognizing national security imperatives. Unfortunately, Mr. Khan seems to be letting the anger get better from his judgment.
It would be bad not to point out the failures on the other side too. Perhaps due to the way in which politics, justice and governance have formed under the current regime, the powerful seem to be operating under the assumption that their will can be imposed on people without consequences. This is a dangerous presumption.
Decisions that can drastically affect citizens’ lives cannot be taken behind closed doors. There must be a political property of such options, which can only happen if those that must be affected by them have been heard properly and their accommodated concerns. Pressing ahead without public consent may be disastrous in case unforeseen challenges end up complicating the operational objectives.
Therefore, there must be a much greater approach in achieving political acceptance, and if making certain concessions can help achieve it, they should be considered. There must be some take and doubt.
Posted in Dawn, September 13, 2025
