Pakistan is celebrating after delivering a resounding response to India’s military jingoism, and with the world acknowledging the country’s formidable strike capability, this historic moment must now be transformed into sustainable political stability. Otherwise, whatever positives this situation has provided us will be squandered.

The state’s approach should be pragmatic here, as we have had examples of countries that emerged from crises and thrived to become entirely different nations. Thus, the momentum Pakistan needs to convert this moment of unity and celebration—where every section of society came together (forgetting their internal grievances) against Indian aggression—is very much present.

But for this unity to be meaningful and lasting, we must confront the national fault lines, which currently are political polarisation and religious extremism that continue to fracture our social fabric.

Few things are clear: the onus of political stability lies on multiple stakeholders, one of whom is the imprisoned former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, convicted in the Al-Qadir Trust case, a significant corruption scandal involving the misappropriation of £190 million.

Ever since Khan, who was elected Prime Minister in 2018, was constitutionally ousted in 2022, he has been adept at playing the victim, attracting empathy, and converting it into popularity. He was able to propagate the narrative that he was fighting for civilian supremacy and against the military’s interference in politics, ironically.

The establishment must realise that we cannot shame India for its Hindutva and RSS ideology unless we eliminate the same menace from within our ranks

A large chunk of the Pakistani nation believes that he has taken on a fight for civilian supremacy and to minimise military interference in politics, but some hold the contrary opinion, believing that Imran Khan himself was nurtured in the establishment’s nursery and his fight is only until the establishment pacifies him and again recognises him as their own child, like a few years ago.

© The Friday Times