There is little that distinguishes PTI chief Imran Khan from the run-of-the-mill politicians other than his holier-than-thou posture. Like them he makes all sorts of false promises to come to power, like them he fails to fulfil these and then comes up with new pies in the sky. He rubbishes other politicians, calls them names, treats them as dirt, but when their help is needed to achieve power or to retain it he eats his words without any qualm of conscience, embraces them and offers them ministries.
It is sheer opportunism on the part of Mr Khan to give the name of jihad to a struggle being waged solely for regaining political power. He is playing with the youths’ religious sentiments with the aim of pushing them into a do-or-die struggle to bring him to power. During PTI’s recent political gatherings, it has been common to air patriotic songs of the 1965 War calling upon troops to fight jihad, sacrifice their lives and be remembered as martyrs. The indoctrination led many PTI protestors to carry weapons with them during the so-called Azadi March as revealed by Mr Khan in his interview with TV journalist Moeed Pirzada. What makes the matter even more serious is that the PTI leadership knew this was happening and still did not stress the need on the part of the protestors to remain peaceful even in the face of possible provocation. The leadership could have done this if it had the commitment to maintain social order. Trained in peaceful resistance, Bacha Khan’s Red Shirts did not indulge in violence even when scores of them were mowed down by the British Army’s machineguns in the Qissa Khwani Bazar firing on 23 April 1930. Mr Khan on the other hand wants to lead the youth in a jihad against his own people. Equally serious is KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan’s statement to use his province’s “force” when Imran Khan calls another protest march. Who will this force fight?
Weaponizing religion in pursuit of political goals has led youth to suicide attacks. Few had taken noice of PTI leaders Shahryar Afridi and Ghulam Sarwar Khan when they spoke approvingly of suicide bombings. The jihad can only be announced by the state. In case a single party takes the path, it can harm the country’s integrity.
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