SOME statements by the ruling party leaders hailing the decision to impose a state of emergency and governor’s rule in KP bring to mind the words of a political leader following the military operation in East Pakistan in 1971: “Thank God, Pakistan is saved.” In fact, that action led to the separation of the eastern wing. Indeed, comparing the two situations may not be correct. Still, such reckless action against a provincial government that holds a two-thirds majority in the assembly could provoke a combustible environment, further destabilising a country that is facing multiple challenges on both the internal and external fronts.

For some time, it had been apparent that the hybrid set-up had opted for what is sometimes described as the ‘nuclear option’, as tensions between Islamabad and Peshawar heightened over the PTI’s threat to march on Islamabad. The capital was sealed off with containers, and the highways leading to the city were blocked. Hopes of ending the stand-off arose earlier this month when the government and the opposition agreed to talk. But even a marathon meeting and back-channel contacts failed to break the stalemate.

Despite the blame game, it was clear the powers that be were not prepared to agree to the PTI’s major demand — a meeting with Imran Khan — or to implement the orders of the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court. While the differences were purely political, the government maintained that the talks broke down over the PTI provincial government’s refusal to cooperate on........

© Dawn