'Azadi' or 'Berbadi' March?

As this goes into print Maulana Fazlur Rahman and supporters had reached Islamabad. Luckily GOP showed maturity by not stopping them enroute, hopefully in reciprocity the assembled protestors, though fired up considerably demanding Imran Khan's political demise, will continue keeping the peace (and hygiene) in Islamabad. The so-called 'Azadi March' took off from Karachi's Sohrab Goth, a Pashtun settlement at the fringes of the city. Despite efforts of a negotiating team of the government this could not be prevented. The Azadi March leaders are not marching to prove that the PTI government has failed, but are afraid that this government is succeeding!

The Maulana is demanding nothing less than PM Imran Khan's resignation alleging that he had come to power through 'selective' elections. Is he alleging that the Election Commission of Pakistan is just a rubber stamp? What he means by the slogan 'Azadi' is also not really clear. The new government had inherited a desolate economy robbed by the previous governments, the unfortunate march of the Maulana comes at a time when it is showing first signs of stabilization. Though these signs are still not easily visible for the common man because still prices are rising and all the other odds are more or less in place. But after about 15 months in power one cannot realistically expect to right the wrongs that have been there for years if not decades. The beginnings of change are there and while there is a bumpy road in front of us, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Everybody who has some knowledge about economy and economic policies and who cares for Pakistan can see that.

That is not the case with Fazlur Rahman and his lot. He keeps frightening the government with videos about his danda-swinging yellow army trying to get his way. Even the meeting with COAS Bajwa who must have read him the riot act to him did not help. One reason for this could be the tacit support of the opposition parties PPP and PML(N), the leaders of whom are sitting in jail or in court facing multiple cases of corruption. Neither of the two parties is in a good shape and ready for action. The latest drama has been Fazl of all people accusing the PM of a 'pro-Modi stance' and a double-edged Kashmir policy while he himself with the timing of his march at this point is detracting the attention from the Kashmir issue and therefore, damaging it.

His performance as head of the Kashmir Committee under the last government has done...