The political situation in the neighbouring Pakistan has been volatile for the longest time.  Lately though, it has taken a turn for the worse.  Former Prime Minister of the country was ousted a few months ago, and was replaced by Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) until the next elections.  During the 4 years of governance, Imran Khan had made headlines all over the world for displaying a brazen lack of common sense and making continual controversial statements. However, there is an absolute cult like following of Khan in Pakistan, where many have given him an exalted status. Despite the fact that the country was left in a quagmire of debt while Imran kept selling it the dream of self-reliance, the fact that the country barely has enough money to survive another few weeks, and that every government run institute is corrupt to the core without any accountability, the herd mentality which is already in place owing to the ideological training is crying for their leader Imran to be brought back into power. According to figures available on social media, thepublic debt has risen to the tune of Rs9.3 trillion during the last 12 months, as it swelled to Rs49.2 trillion by end-June 2022. The country faces a current account deficit of $17 billion inflation stands at 22% officially, being much higher than this in real terms. The fiscal deficit stands at Rs3.5 trillion whereas total debt-servicing is at PKR 5.5 trillion.

The legend of Imran Khan is a creation of the Pakistan Army and its machinery, carefully crafted by them to manage the affairs of the country through a puppet regime.  Imran Khan was a known and respected figure in international circles, could speak English and use personal relations to bring in more revenue, read loans. In the process, they didn’t realise the power of their own PR, converting a vast majority of its citizens to “Imrandoos” – as they are casually called by their opponents.  When the project Imran backfired due to various reasons, the Army itself is finding it almost impossible to handle the sea of stupidity which threatens to drown the country, them included.

An FIR was lodged against Imran Khan last Saturday, following a speech of Imran Khan at the PTI rally. The FIR also carries Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.  It said that Imran Khan’s speech in this design and style was aimed at spawning fear and panic among the police authorities, the judiciary and the public. Since then, his supporters are up in arms and according to some videos available on social media, they are ready to set the country on fire if their Khan Sahab is arrested.  The sheer force of conviction of these followers of Imran Khan have left Mr. Bajwa in a very questionable position, because if the judiciary does indeed put Imran in jail, the very machinery they so carefully brain washed will turn against them. For the first time since the country came into being, the Pakistan Army and its Generals are fearing the possible wrath of its people including those who work under these Generals, the various cogs in the justice system and the bureaucracy.  Heck, in many households, they are facing the wrath of their own wives and daughters for daring to call out their darling Captain.  These people hold Imran Khan in high regard and are willing to lay their lives, kill their children, leave their husbands and resort to civil riots to display their love for him.

Imran Khan is surviving on a temporary bail for 3 days that he secured from the lower court and is now in the process of approaching the High Court to make his bail before arrest lasting. It is a known fact within the top circles of the country, that the country’s judiciary is the pet of the Army and they do not make any judgements which aren’t pre-approved by the establishment.  It is now to be seen whether Bajwa and his co conspirers have it in them to take a step against the vast majority of its people, including their own subordinates in the armed forces, to ‘advise’ the judiciary to take the just decision, and put him in jail.

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