Can he change course?

The world around Adiyala is transforming at a dizzying pace. Khan and his party are staring into a wall of uncertainty that shrouds their future and leaves them with increasingly shrinking options.

This past week was marked by developments that have cemented the new order in Pakistan with greater strength. The 27th amendment is now in full force with Field Marshall Asim Munir officially starting his five-year tenure as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The prospects of another five years after that are already being talked about. This coincided with alarming rumours about Imran Khan's well-being. Those concerns appear to have been put to rest by statements from government officials saying he is in good health.

But his party is not. Chief Minister KP Sohail Afridi spent the night outside Adiyala to meet his leader. He has not, yet. Khan's sisters have spent days trying to get permission to see their brother. They have not got it, yet. Party and alliance leaders like Asad Qaisar and Mehmood Achakzai are threatening to launch a street movement. They have failed to actualise their threat, yet. The party's 'resistance' is now confined to press conferences, social media posts and unsuccessful attempts to gain entry into Adiyala jail.

So, what can Khan and his party do to retrieve lost space?

The answer may lie in how they read the prevailing situation. The situation is a direct by-product of the amended system. The system has conceived, designed and constructed a legislative and constitutional........

© The Express Tribune