Our Political Dynamics: Challenges and Response.

Byline: Gen (r) Mirza Aslam Beg

Imran Khan introduced 'Dharna' in 2014, to bring about regime change. The same now has recoiled back on him, knocking at his doors with greater intensity. The Religious Right under Maulana Fazlur Rahman's Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) having remained a marginalized political entity for the last seventy two year, has suddenly emerged at the centre stage of national politics, knocking at the 'gates of power with a mammoth gathering of over 500,000 thousand of his supporters. He is accompanied and supported by the top political leadership of the country, who declared:

Shahbaz Sharif: 'Imran is brainless and threat to the country.'

Bilawal Zardari: 'Selected governments' time is up.'

Asfandyar Wali: 'Puppet PM must go.'

Mahmud Khan Achakzai: 'A failed government has no right to govern.'

The crowd roars 'Go Imran go.'

What an irony of fate, that only a few years back, here at D Chowk, it was none else but Imran demanding ouster of Nawaz Sharif government. He succeeded taking-over the government, as its Prime-Minister, with the promise to lead the nation to the lofty goal of a 'New Pakistan,' free from corruption and exploitation. But he failed and failed miserably, alienating himself politically, creating more enemies than friends he could make, with the result that the crowd surge of over half a million which now supports Maulana at Islamabad, consists of three main elements:

Maulana's own party, JI and Tablighi supporters a diehard disciplined lot.

The broad masses suffering from the ills of Imran's bad governance, with no hope of improvement of their lot.

The angry youth, who reject liberalism and secularism or any other ism, to their faith.

Imran's political alienation has been caused because of his strong urge to correct things in a haste. He went too far, defaming and degrading his political opponents. He downgraded the parliament his political bed-rock. Imran relied more on the support of the national institutions, than the strong political base he had inherited.

Seeking spiritual guidance, Imran got lost between Islam, liberalism and the khankah. He himself admits.

'My Islam was selective. I accepted only parts of the religion that suited me. It was not so much out of conviction but love for my mother that I stayed a Muslim' Arab News.

Thus Imran created a political vacuum, which has now been filled by the 'Religious Right' led by shrewd Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who took the lead and gave the call to the...