The FIR Controversy

Despite differences removing the Punjab CM is not an option for the PTI

Despite running a coalition government in Punjab, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) proved powerless in lodging the police complaint of its choice against the three government heavyweights named by its Chairman Imran Khan for allegedly masterminding the November 3’s failed assassination bid on him.

Although the former prime minister, Imran Khan, is at the pinnacle of popularity and runs the governments of Punjab, KP, Azad Kashmir and Gilgat-Baltistan, he acknowledges his limits to power.

There are forces powerful enough to thwart Imran Khan’s efforts to get the First Information Report (FIR) against those whom he thinks were allegedly responsible for masterminding the Wazirabad gun attack on him.

By accusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a serving military officer for planning the attack on him, Imran Khan has certainly upped the ante of tensions with the government and the country’s powerful military establishment.

The Pakistan Army has already reacted in strongest words against what the Inter-Services Public Relations calls the bid to defame the institution, yet Imran Khan’s verbal attacks on the three alleged planners continue unabated. In every press conference, interview and speech after the assassination bid, Imran Khan named the names, underlining the fact that he wants to remain on the front-foot in his make-or-break political struggle against the opponents. And his line of attack is getting him both the public support and the votes.

He has won the majority of seats in Punjab during the recently-held by-polls. Even in Lahore — considered the stronghold of the PML-N — Imran Khan’s PTI inflicted humiliating defeats on its rivals and won three provincial assembly seats out of the four.

But despite all these successes, Khan is not comfortable with the Punjab government. He believes that the Punjab government is not as supportive to him as it should have been. Though the element of mistrust had been existing between the PTI and the PML-Q in Punjab on administrative and governance matters, the recent attack on Imran Khan seems to have widened cracks within the coalition partners.

There is no doubt that PTI and PML-Q – having different agendas and narratives — contracted a marriage of convenience in Punjab. The PTI wants the government in Punjab to maintain pressure on the federal government and the establishment to hold early elections. That is why the PTI is holding a ‘long march’ which is cruising through the historic GT Road at the time of writing these lines.

The PML-Q has won all of its national and provincial assembly seats in alliance with the PTI in the 2018 elections. Of course, the PML-Q has its own red lines which it does not want to cross. The only thing binding the PTI and PML-Q together is their mutual hatred for the PML-N. This is the only factor which is carrying forward the coalition in Punjab, despite all odds.

Imran Khan in private meetings and in public has spoken against Pervaiz Elahi for not implementing or executing the agenda of the PTI. Besides, most of the PTI members of the Punjab and the National Assembly are also seen complaining against the PML-Q leadership over the distribution of development funds as well as on the issue of transfers and postings.

The Wazirabad incident led to finger-pointing from all around the coalition set-up in Punjab. There were quarters which accused Pervaiz Elahi for not making appropriate arrangements for the security of Imran Khan’s container during the long march. There were many who were charging that the whole incident took place due to security negligence.

Nevertheless, Pervaiz Elahi through a cabinet meeting strongly lashed at IG Faisal Shahkar for his failure to provide the required security to Imran Khan. While this blame game was going on between the provincial and the federal governments, Imran Khan made his first appearance at the Shaukat Khanum Trust Hospital where he blamed three people for their alleged involvement in the firing incident.

Later, the PTI leadership moved an application for the registration of an FIR against the three accused. The inclusion of the army officer’s name among the suspects’ list, naturally made things difficult for CM Elahi

Insiders claim that during a meeting held later with Imran Khan, Elahi made it clear that it would not be possible for him to name a serving major general in the FIR. Sources stated that Moonis Elahi and other PTI stalwarts were also present at the meeting where CM Elahi offered to resign, but Imran Khan was adamant that the FIR must contain the names of all the three accused.

It may be mentioned here that during his media interaction, Imran Khan had stated that he was feeling helpless over the issue of registration of FIR despite PTI’s government in Punjab. However, he made it clear that he was not annoyed with CM Elahi or the IGP and fully realised that both were under immense pressure from the Establishment.

After the Supreme Court ordered that the FIR for the attack on Imran Khan should be registered within 24 hours, Pervaiz Elahi made three quick visits to Zaman Park residence of Imran Khan in a single day to convince him to drop the name of the accused army major.

The Punjab CM once again offered his resignation to Imran Khan for his failure to accomplish the task. Insiders claimed that IG Faisal Shahkar was also present in the meeting and he flatly refused to include the names of the sitting Prime Minister and Interior Minister in the FIR and offered his resignation on the issue as well.

Later, the Punjab government registered the FIR of the incident against some unknown persons, thus completely ignoring the application of Imran Khan. The IGP, after getting an FIR of his choice registered, took a sigh of relief and went on a long leave immediately afterwards.

Despite the failure of the Punjab government to come up to his expectations, Imran Khan is in a quandary because he does not want to remove Pervaiz Elahi from the CM’s post since that will be the end of the PTI-led coalition government in Punjab.

Though Pervaiz Elahi does not want to antagonise the Establishment in the FIR matter, he is otherwise giving a free hand to the PTI for holding its long march and organising public shows. Now if Elahi is removed and the Punjab government ceases to exist, the PTI is bound to face an adverse situation, identical to May 25th, when its workers were not allowed to come on roads by the PML-N government.

Insiders claim that Imran wants the continuity of Punjab government till the time the federal government succumbs to his demand and gives date for early elections.