Imran Khan's PTI renews its confrontation with Pakistan Army

The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s (PTI) `jalsa’ on September 8, held at Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad after obtaining permission from the civil authorities, showed no signs of letting up on the confrontationist narrative prescribed by its imprisoned leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan. His currently favourite protégé, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, threatened in a fiery speech to forcibly release him from the confines of Adiala jail if judicial remedies failed to provide succour over the next 15 days.

Violent scuffles broke out as the rally drew to a close, forcing the law and order authorities to arrest PTI leaders, some from parliamentary precincts, including Barrister Gohar Khan and Sher Afzal Marwat. An Anti-Terrorism Court approved an eight-day remand for those arrested for non-adherence to the agreed route and breach of other commitments given for the meeting. The charges included attacking police personnel.

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Gandapur admonished

Gandapur himself was called in for a six-hour dressing down by security officials in Islamabad on September 9 morning, when access to his mobile phones was cut off, prompting PTI’s KP spokesperson, Barrister Mohd Ali Saif, to allege that the KP CM had been unconstitutionally apprehended as a precursor to the imposition of the governor’s rule in the province.

These fears were allayed when Gandapur tamely emerged and proceeded to Peshawar later that day, maintaining uncharacteristic media silence over what fate befell him. Interpretations differed over details of the riot act read out to him. Well-informed journalist Ejaz Syed claimed Gandapur had been suitably chastened and expressed remorse, including a promise to stay within constitutional confines, while a pro-PTI journalist, Imran Riaz Khan, contended that Gandapur had held firm, protected as he was by the fig leaf of his position as CM of KP.

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In his interaction with journalists in Adiala jail (September 10), Imran Khan supported Gandapur’s anti-establishment outbursts, also sullenly indicating that he would terminate all further negotiations with the military establishment, as they `had deceived him’.

KP Assembly resolution

Meanwhile, the KP Assembly (172 seats) passed by majority (PTI strength 145) a resolution (September 10), with only 12 dissenting voices (out of 27 opposing members), demanding court martial of military officers who had breached the constitution and their oath of office in the last two years. It also demanded the immediate release of Imran Khan. Gandapur was not present in the Assembly, indicating perhaps that other hardline supporters like Azam Swati were being used by Imran to fan the anti-military narrative.

The difficult law and order situation in parts of the province like Lakki Marwat, where the police and other administrative authorities are having to deal with `the good taliban’ and `bad taliban’ of the Tehrik e Taliban (TTP) factions, may be restraining the military’s hand. The military establishment possibly sees wisdom in using civilian intermediaries to deal with such elements who continue to enjoy a degree of popular support in such pockets. There is an uncomfortable rumour that Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashtun’s support may be roped in by PTI to further constrict the Army’s options.

A hostile higher judiciary

Efforts to contain the hostility of the higher judiciary through possible legislative measures have not been easy to implement. Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, whose term of office draws to a close on October 25, expressed his reluctance to accept a `person specific’ extension while parliamentary numbers remain elusive, to amend the Constitution to provide for a blanket three-year extension of age to all judges, up to 68 years.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been ambivalent over extending support of his Jamiat Ulema e Islam (JuI-F) Members of National Assembly (MNAs) for any such amendment while the fate of PTI’s own MNAs has not been decided, as the Election Commission sought clarifications from the Supreme Court about its August 12 ruling on reserved seats, with 39 seats formally notified as PTI MNAs but the fate of 41 others hanging in balance. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the Chief Justice in waiting, has yet to come out with the full judgement order of his 8-member majority verdict in the August 12 reserved seats case.

No `General’ in NADRA?

Responding to a petition moved by Ashba Kamran in a surprising development on September 6, a single bench order by Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Asim Hafeez ruled the appointment of serving Lieutenant General, the first to be so appointed, Lt Gen Munir Afsar as Chairman of the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) ultra vires of Rule 7A of the Nadra Ordinance, 2000, as requirements for a competitive recruitment process were apparently ignored.

Reflecting the pervasive anti-military mindset in the judiciary in Pakistan nowadays, Justice Hafeez observed, ‘The illegality committed…cannot hide the elephant in a mouse-hole !’ The appointment took place last October, under the aegis of the Caretaker regime, when efforts were underway to strictly scrutinise the electoral voter base before the February 2024 elections. However, on September 10, a larger military versus judiciary clash seems to have been averted as a two-member bench of the LHC, comprising Justices Chaudhry Mohd Iqbal and Ahmed Nadeem Arshad, set aside this verdict after the Federal Government clarified that it was competent to change appointment rules under Section 44 of the Ordinance. For now, Lt Gen Munir Afsar stays on as Chairman, NADRA!

Faiz Hameed court martial fall-out on PTI morale

Even as Imran Khan’s petition to avoid a military trial in connection with the May 9, 2023, violence comes up before the Islamabad High Court, which has been partial to him in the past, the PTI remains badly hit by revelations leaking from the court martial proceedings of Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, where evidence regarding their involvement has been unraveling. This has undoubtedly hit hard the morale of second-string leaders and sundry PTI cadres.

In a bid to defuse the polarised atmosphere in the National Assembly (NA) after the arrest of PTI leaders, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued orders (September 11) to produce ten PTI lawmakers arrested from parliamentary premises. However, it seemed to have a marginal impact in assuaging frayed tempers, either in Islamabad or Peshawar. Returning to the KP Assembly (September 11), CM Ali Amin Gandapur reiterated his intention to continue voicing his feelings as an independent citizen of Pakistan. He also professed his intention to intercede directly with leaders of Afghanistan to tackle problems his province was facing.

The focus of this continuing confrontation may shift now to the promised PTI protest rally on September 21 in Lahore, permission for which is yet to be given by the Maryam Nawaz-led Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government there.

The writer is a former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.