PTI’s last hope of returning to power was dashed after its most favored justice Mansoor Ali Shah was put out of the race and number 3 Justice Yahya Afridi was elevated as the next CJP.
- The views and opinions expressed herein, and any references, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Centre for Development and Stability (CDS).
- The writer is Retd Brig, war veteran, defence, security & political analyst, author of five books, patron-in-chief CDS Think Tank, ex-Chairman TFP Think Tank, Director Measac Research Centre, Administrator Fact Check Think Tank, takes part in TV talk shows.
Not only that, a constitutional bench has been notified by the act of parliament with a two-thirds majority, and merit system for the judges of higher courts enforced. The CJP will no longer pick and choose judges for high courts, supreme court and judicial council in disregard of seniority and merit.
The passage of 26th constitutional Amdt has re-established the supremacy of the Parliament, which had been hijacked by the higher judiciary.
Mansoor Ali Shah was not selected because of his heavy leaning towards PTI, ganging up with seven other Supreme Court judges and six Islamabad High Court judges, and giving a controversial ruling over the reserved seats in favor of PTI.
PTI is in a big mess and has now been left with only one option of kicking up dust and creating chaos.
The people are sick and tired of these self-destructive tactics and are thoroughly disappointed with their leaders who ditched them in testing times again and again.
They have begun to see the real picture which was smoke-screened by PTI’s disinformation campaign and are happy to see the improvements in macroeconomics.
PTI shot itself in the foot by trying to create ruckus on the occasion of the historic SCO Summit in Isbd in which 12 heads of the States took part. They didn’t like PTI’s confused role in the Constitutional Amdt exercise.
Punjab is no longer the fortress of PTI due to the good governance and performance of CM Maryam Nawaz. The KP fort led by Gandapur has begun to crack because of infighting and uncouth behaviour of the CM.
JUI F is likely to gain political space in KP because of the role played by Maulana in passing the constitutional package.
IK himself has lost faith in PTI leaders and is blaming them for not doing enough.
With hopelessness and despair all around, IK has begun to lose heart and his mental and physical faculties are wearing down. He is seeking help from his patrons abroad since there is no worthwhile male leader to lead and get him out of jail.
Prospect of his trial in the military court is haunting him particularly after the appointment of new CJP and establishment of a constitutional bench.
There is no one in the party to cleanse the mess created by him. The possibility of interned Shah Qureshi and his son Zain leaving PTI and forming a forward block has become a probability.
There was a tug of war between the two sisters of IK and wife of IK Bushra after the incarceration of IK in Aug 2023 and a few opportunists senior advocates filled the power vacuum.
The two sisters of IK, Aleema Khan – Uzma Khan and Bushra Bibi became rivals and contended for power.
After the internment and conviction of Bushra, the two sisters of IK along with notorious Khadija Shah tried to garner political support in KP, or to unite the badly disunited PTI but failed miserably.
The two sisters have been in jail since the last 04 Oct, and Bushra is being released on bail today.
Under the grim conditions, Bushra could be the only hope to revive the party and put it on the right track, and also save her husband from life sentence.
It will certainly vex the opportunists in PTI who have been enjoying all the benefits and were content in keeping IK in jail. They might gang up to fail her.
Bushra would need a helping hand, and it might be offered if she plays her cards wisely and honestly, and avoids playing a double game, or the black magic tricks.
