Page 55 - Tehelka Issue 15 August 2018

• Chance for peace Imran Khan is open to
peace talks with India

replaced by Imran Khan at the helm
of affairs, courtesy the Deep State,
the world should get ready for new
initiatives to transform Pakistan in
accordance with the designs ap-
proved by the military. Imran has all
the plus points which Nawaz ad in
the past till the 2013 elections when
the latter was the army’s favour-
ite. Today the cricketer-turned-
politician not only has the army’s
full backing but also of the religious
right, including the Taliban factions.
Of course, he is, perhaps, the only
mainstream political leader who
has openly opposed the US drone
attacks to eliminate the Taliban. He
also expressed his displeasure over
the military’s anti-militant drives
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) after Analysts see Imran in the Federally Administered Tribal
remote-controlling their governments Khan as a pliant PM Areas (FATA) owing to the large-scale
in the past. What is, however, alarm- suffering caused to the innocent
ing is that the Deep State can go to who won’t challenge public for no fault on their part; Imran
the extent of politically eliminating a the army’s hold wanted militancy to be contained
non-cooperating leader — judicially through dialogue. He has also never
unseated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over Pakistan’s faced any charge of being involved in
— who has shown the guts to take on a financial corruption.
former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Pervez foreign and national Despite these advantages, he will
Musharraf, slapped with charges of security policies realise that political batting is an
subverting the constitution when he entirely different area unlike winning
captured power through a bloodless a world cup or scoring runs in a cricket
coup. The armed forces’ leadership found match. His controversial personal life
Nawaz Sharif also angered the an excellent opportunity to destroy may not be troubling him as much as
army by ignoring it in matters related the PML (N) leader’s political career the disguised messages from the Deep
to defence and foreign policies. These when the International Consortium of State to refrain from being too much
include expressing his inclination for Investigative Journalists came out with independent in the conduct of par-
normalising Pakistan’s relations with what became famous as the Panama ticularly defence and foreign policies.
India without taking the military lead- Papers, exposing illegal money trans- Stubbornness in his character and his
ership into confidence. fers by Nawaz Sharif and his children dictatorial temperament may put him
The corruption charges against in the 1990s when he served twice on a collision course with the army.
Nawaz Sharif and his children relating as Prime Minister through foreign How he handles such a situation, if at
to the acquisition of two flats in Lon- bank accounts. An investigation into all it emerges, remains to be seen.
don’s Avenfield Apartment complex the matter by a court-appoint team Interestingly, Imran Khan report-
have been used as an excuse to send led to the preparation of a 275-page edly has the same thinking vis-à-vis
across the message that any political report on his and his family members’ India as Nawaz Sharif had come to be
leader who dares to take foreign or money-laundering activities, resulting known for: treating India as a partner
defence policy decisions without the in his first getting unseated as Prime for promoting economic growth in
army’s consent will meet Sharif’s fait. Minister and then being jailed for 10 South Asia. Will the Deep State allow
Or any government which tries to pun- years by the powerful National Ac- Imran to function accordingly?
ish an ex-army chief for his misdemea- countability Bureau.
nors of the past will not be spared. So, with Nawaz Sharif having been letters@tehelka.com

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