IN ESSENCE IK’S TEAM HAS LOST THE PROPAGANDA WAR

There is now no denying the fact that the 18th amendment was a secret agreement between the country’s two leading political families to establish a dynastic rule (in partnership) which would give virtually monarchial powers to the party heads. Zardari and Mian were the principal beneficiaries of this ‘partnered rule’ but three other key family heads with anti-Pakistan background were also made to feel amply compensated— i.e Asfand Wali Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rahman and Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
In 2009 when Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was restored as Chief Justice under a sinister arrangement between the PML (N) Chief and the then Army Chief through the brokership of Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, it seemed that the destiny of Pakistan was sealed forever, and that the Mafias in control of the country would grow only more and more powerful. The fact that nine years later this star-crossed country is no longer a brutally exploited hunting ground for the above-mentioned families, is owed to the heroic struggle of one man whose relentless drive for change overcame all hurdles and in the end led Pakistan out of the clutches of its tormentors. That man, against all odds and all past predictions is now Prime Minister of Pakistan.
But if you win all the battles and lose the last one, all your victories become junk and are thrown in the junkyard of history.
The results of the 14th October 2018 by-elections reveal two undeniable truths. Number (1)-these endorse the statement of the ISPR DG Gen. Asif Ghafoor that the elections of July 25, 2018 were as transparent and as un-tempered as could be, and their results reflected the exact mood and mindset of the Nation. Number (2) the triumphs of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Saad Rafiq have proved that the society is so hugely polarised that an alarmingly high number of voters don’t care whether they are endorsing confirmed thieves and plunderers in the cause of their loyalties.
Meaning thereby that Imran Khan, despite all his triumphs and feats so far, has yet to win the battle against polarization, disinformation and most importantly incompetence in his own ranks.
In essence, IK’s team has lost the propaganda war. There also has been no strategy to liberate Lahore from the clutches of Sharifs.
But this is not the last battle. The last battle has yet to come. And before that comes, Imran Khan has to re-examine his areas of weakness.