No lessons learnt

History is repeating itself as political and religious parties march towards Islamabad for a sit-in with their demands. The only difference is those in power. Previously, it was Nawaz Sharif and now it is Imran Khan. One cannot forget the fear of bloodshed during the 2014 sit-in. Thankfully, there were sane voices in the PML-N government that suggested restraint to avoid extreme measures.

The Lal Masjid episode is another example when people challenged the writ of the government. When the government took action, the result changed the whole scenario, and all the sympathies turned towards the agitators. Musharraf alone is still blamed for all the ills that took place as its aftermath. Nawaz Sharif, with the saner elements in the PML-N and the parliament managed to avoid any clash with the PTI. Now it is the PTI’s turn to face the music. One hopes that this episode ends without further bloodshed as the government is already in a mess due to prevailing inflation and other problems.

Malik ul Quddoos

Karachi