ISLAMABAD - Politics in Pakistan is set to get bitterest after the sitting government booked PTI Chairman Imran Khan under terrorism charges. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has dropped hints that Imran Khan would soon be arrested if his bail before arrest is not confirmed as a permanent bail.
There were rumours last night that Imran Khan might be arrested but this did not happen. While the PTI was furious over the reports of Imran Khan’s possible arrest, the party got a good news from Karachi where they won the by-election in NA-245.
Previously, on July 17, Imran Khan’s PTI routed the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in the by-elections. With a thin majority, the future of the 12-party coalition government in Islamabad seems bleak.
Two weeks after those by-elections, on August 2, the political pendulum has swung once again towards the PML-N. The Election Commission of Pakistan released its long-awaited verdict on the finances of the PTI.
The order of the ECP in what is popularly known as the ‘Foreign Funding’ case was a scathing indictment of not only the PTI but also of Imran Khan.
With the noose tightening around Imran Khan’s neck, the political scene has changed dramatically. He is on the defensive and his political adversaries are smelling blood and sharpening their knives to go for the kill.
The pressure that Imran Khan was trying to build for early general elections has been released. The ruling coalition has launched an all-out lawfare counter-offensive against Imran Khan and his party.
The ruling coalition now looks set to stay in office until August next year.
PML-N’s ally, the Pakistan People’s Party, too has lambasted Imran Khan for targeting the state institutions in his speeches. PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has demanded Imran Khan’s arrest as he was provoking the people to destabilise the system.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the speech continued a trend by Khan of targeting the Army, judiciary and police and “was meant to threaten officials and prevent them from their lawful duty.” The government was “taking advice from law ministry on the necessary, lawful action,” he added.
Khan’s weekend speech to supporters focused on the arrest, earlier this month, of his top aide Shahbaz Gill, who has been charged with sedition for comments he made urging army troops not to accept any illegal order from the top military leadership.
The politics is heating up ahead of an election that must be held by next year. Imran Khan has agitated for early polls since his ouster earlier this year, betting that voters support his contention that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani military conspired with the US to remove him from power - an allegation all three have denied.
The political drama threatens to undermine Pakistan’s quest to convince the International Monetary Fund to release $1.2 billion in financing at its board meeting later this month.
The country has also secured $4 billion pledges from friendly nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to fill its financing gap as it deals with faltering foreign-currency reserves and one of Asia’s fastest-inflation rates.
Amid the war of words and possible action against Imran Khan, the Pakistani politics is set to get much bitter. Imran Khan has tried to push it a level up and he has largely been successful at least in this effort.
The September by-elections on several National Assembly seats – where Imran Khan has filed nominations against all rivals – will fuel the heat further.
There were rumours last night that Imran Khan might be arrested but this did not happen. While the PTI was furious over the reports of Imran Khan’s possible arrest, the party got a good news from Karachi where they won the by-election in NA-245.
Previously, on July 17, Imran Khan’s PTI routed the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in the by-elections. With a thin majority, the future of the 12-party coalition government in Islamabad seems bleak.
Two weeks after those by-elections, on August 2, the political pendulum has swung once again towards the PML-N. The Election Commission of Pakistan released its long-awaited verdict on the finances of the PTI.
The order of the ECP in what is popularly known as the ‘Foreign Funding’ case was a scathing indictment of not only the PTI but also of Imran Khan.
With the noose tightening around Imran Khan’s neck, the political scene has changed dramatically. He is on the defensive and his political adversaries are smelling blood and sharpening their knives to go for the kill.
The pressure that Imran Khan was trying to build for early general elections has been released. The ruling coalition has launched an all-out lawfare counter-offensive against Imran Khan and his party.
The ruling coalition now looks set to stay in office until August next year.
PML-N’s ally, the Pakistan People’s Party, too has lambasted Imran Khan for targeting the state institutions in his speeches. PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has demanded Imran Khan’s arrest as he was provoking the people to destabilise the system.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the speech continued a trend by Khan of targeting the Army, judiciary and police and “was meant to threaten officials and prevent them from their lawful duty.” The government was “taking advice from law ministry on the necessary, lawful action,” he added.
Khan’s weekend speech to supporters focused on the arrest, earlier this month, of his top aide Shahbaz Gill, who has been charged with sedition for comments he made urging army troops not to accept any illegal order from the top military leadership.
The politics is heating up ahead of an election that must be held by next year. Imran Khan has agitated for early polls since his ouster earlier this year, betting that voters support his contention that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani military conspired with the US to remove him from power - an allegation all three have denied.
The political drama threatens to undermine Pakistan’s quest to convince the International Monetary Fund to release $1.2 billion in financing at its board meeting later this month.
The country has also secured $4 billion pledges from friendly nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to fill its financing gap as it deals with faltering foreign-currency reserves and one of Asia’s fastest-inflation rates.
Amid the war of words and possible action against Imran Khan, the Pakistani politics is set to get much bitter. Imran Khan has tried to push it a level up and he has largely been successful at least in this effort.
The September by-elections on several National Assembly seats – where Imran Khan has filed nominations against all rivals – will fuel the heat further.
