Situationer: Can Arif Alvi’s efforts avert Imran’s long march?

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi’s inability so far to break the ice between Imran Khan and the military establishment led to an important meeting in Banigala on Monday to discuss the long march as the final line of action.

The meeting, which was chaired by Imran Khan and participated by Shaikh Rashid, Moonis Elahi, Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Faisal Vawda, deliberated on the date of announcement for the long march to Islamabad.

The meeting though still agreed to support behind the scene efforts for talks, it was discussed to announce the date of the long march after 12th of Rabiulawal. Timing of the long march has not been shared with anyone by Imran Khan. The idea of filling up the jail campaign was also discussed.

Informed sources said that there was, however, an element of frustration within the PTI as the talk efforts are not making any headway. While some in the PTI said that the President Dr Arif Alvi is playing on both sides of the wicket, sources said that keeping in view the consistent tirade of Imran Khan against the military establishment there is not much left for anyone including the president to bridge the gap between the two.

Additionally, Imran Khan’s expectation from the military establishment to support him politically by removing the present government and paving way for fresh elections, is even otherwise considered hard to be met. Besides President Alvi, Pervaiz Khattak and Faisal Vawda are in contact with defence authorities but it is even hard for them to do much because of Khan’s unabated attacks on the military establishment.

Some of the PTI insiders admit that the party leadership is moving towards the long march option because of its frustration and despite its consistent pressure on the military establishment it is not getting the required results.

On the other side, the PMLN-led coalition is also showing no keenness to engage Imran Khan. The PTI after the ouster of Imran Khan from the government was rigid not to talk to the present regime in any case and has been demanding fresh elections. However, later it softened its earlier stance and said that the PTI would enter into a wide range of talks with the government if the latter agrees to discuss the option of early elections.

Contrary to its aggressive public posture towards its political opponents, the PTI is still keen to get engaged by the government for negotiated solutions of issues like the next election date, electoral reforms, caretaker government and economy.

The PTI may still not go for something like a long march or siege of Islamabad if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directly offers a dialogue to Imran Khan but because of multiple reasons the bad blood between the ruling coalition parties and the PTI furthers with every passing day.

A senior PTI leader recently told this correspondent, “We do want early elections but we know at the same time that when we enter into a dialogue with the other side, the polls can’t be held as per our wishes.”

The PTI added that the election date can be decided anywhere between March and June next year. The ruling coalition, on the other day, is insisting that it will complete its tenure and next elections are only possible late next year.