Sensational slogans and lofty claims might play well in gatherings of blind followers, but total reliance on such hollow traits in the long run proves harmful for political parties. This principle is especially applicable to the parties struggling in the peculiar political environment of Pakistan. The current leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is confronting a situation for which neither the supporters nor the top cadre seems prepared. Absolute reliance on sensational rhetoric has misled the party onto the wrong track, where room for normal political activities is not visible. While playing the role of opposition in the National Assembly, the Senate, and the three provincial assemblies, PTI members have yet to create an impressive impact in legislative processes. The party is ruling KP province in its third consecutive term. Contrary to the expectations of party voters, PTI’s parliamentarians sitting on opposition benches and the provincial government of KP have remained unsuccessful in achieving the declared objectives of their party. Despite being in power, the PTI government in KP behaves like a typical opposition group, inclined towards agitation. Ironically, this is being done at the cost of much-needed governance and the fulfilment of official obligations laid down in the very constitution for the protection of which the PTI has allied. Internal discord is more exposed and reflects a larger vacuum of leadership. The sudden substitution of the KP Chief Minister was also a strong indicator of inner political disorders. The social media wing, which is considered a main strength of PTI against political opponents, has evolved into a dubious force capable of dictating the agenda without due approval or assessment from the party leadership. As a matter of routine, nobody in the party ranks knows about the initiators of agenda lines floated on social media platforms. Interestingly, every party spokesperson has to join the course without applying rational thought merely to avoid abusive criticism from the invisible keyboard trolls. A number of popular party leaders and spokespersons of PTI have become targets of disgraceful criticism on social media from none other than their own party supporters. This strong phenomenon is damaging the general reputation of the party among political circles and rapidly affecting the decision-making process of the party.
Absolute reliance on sensational rhetoric has misled the party onto the wrong track, where room for normal political activities is not visible.
KP province is undergoing an unprecedented, turbulent period due to cross-border terrorism, lawlessness, bad governance, and alleged corruption cases reported in the national media. The Chief Minister must be more concerned about the challenges being confronted in the province. Surprisingly, both Chief Ministers have shown more interest in the release of imprisoned founding chairman Imran Khan and largely ignored governance in the province. Pressure created by the invisible keyboard campaigners has greatly influenced the policy focus of both Chief Ministers. The frequent, unscheduled arrival of the KP CM for a meeting with the former Prime Minister in Adyala jail in Rawalpindi is very unusual. Social media rhetoric and photo ops of protest gatherings are likely to further spoil the already bitter political dynamics. Both political camps, PTI and PMLN, should engage with each other to find rational-based solutions to those issues that can be easily resolved in accordance with existing laws. The extraordinary involvement of PTI supporters in sensational social media activism merits introspection to avert the political turmoil in party ranks.
The stance of the party on serious national issues like cross-border terrorism and the repatriation of illegal Afghan immigrants is very questionable. Recent press comments by the DG ISPR are another serious endorsement that social media campaigns under the banner of PTI are specifically attempting to create a wedge between the masses and the armed forces. Amplification of such destructive narratives in hostile Indian and Afghan media cannot be easily ignored. Obviously, this is very intriguing and poisonous activism, which should not be shrouded in freedom of expression rhetoric. PTI, being a national political party, must come clean out of this dirty mess. There seems to be a method in the madness!
The writer is a freelance contributor based in Islamabad.