Since then Imran Khan has been removed from power through a vote of no-confidence, he is continuously blaming the US for conspiring against the removal of his government. He is demanding fresh elections and for this purpose, he made continuous rallies in all cities across Pakistan to show his strength. In his last rally, Imran Khan announced a long March (Freedom March) on 25th May 2022 towards Islamabad. Imran Khan wants immediate dissolution of assemblies and dates for early elections. PTI’s long march led by Imran Khan starts from Peshawar and people from across Pakistan were asked to join him. On this occasion, gov’t blocked all main roads and highways to stop the long march. The protesters clashed with police in different parts where many protesters and police personnel were injured. Imran Khan was adamant to reach on D-Chowk Islamabad and will sit in till the announcement of a fresh election. On that day supreme court of Pakistan ordered to allow PTI to march on the specific place but asked Imran Khan not to come in red zoon. Imran Khan defy the supreme court’s order and entered Islamabad near red zoon. The army was called on to protect the gov’t buildings.
The protesters damaged the gov’t property and some places were set on fire. Imran Khan wants to create uncertainty and a law and order situation in the country. On 26 May Imran khan addressed his workers and said I’m giving a 6-day ultimatum to gov’t to announce fresh elections otherwise I will come back again. Before the beginning of long march Imran khan has asked the military to strict to its stated stance of being neutral.
After losing the no-confidence vote, Imran Khan is deliberately and constantly making state institutions, the army, the judiciary, and the Election Commission of Pakistan controversial. They are trying to discredit state institutions and put pressure on them. When the judge ruled against his unconstitutional move to dissolve parliament and stop the no-confidence motion, he began blaming the judiciary and launched a vicious campaign against the judiciary and the military on social media. Imran Khan used the words of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq against the Army Chief. Anti-military slogans were also chanted at PTI meetings. In the last 75 years, no one has done as much damage to the army as Imran Khan has done in one and a half years alone.
But when Judiciary gave a decision in the favor of Imran Khan’s Party and de-seated his party MPA’s who voted against the party line, he started to praise the Judiciary and the Election Commission of Pakistan. It shows Imran Khan only accepts those decisions which are in his favor. In 2018 when Imran Khan came into power, people were very happy and optimistic about him because they had the view that he has the ability to bring Pakistan out of problems. But during his three and half year rule inflation, rising prices and bad governance remains at their peak. But he did nothing, this thing has broken the hope of millions of people, who voted and supported Imran Khan’s Party. Even his coalition partners and most of his own party MNA’s were not happy with the way of his governance and rising inflation.
After the failed attempt of the long march Imran Khan’s Narrative of foreign conspiracy has died down. But the venom of hatred, negativity, intolerance, and abusive culture which Imran Khan has injected into the society will have long-term effects because this thing has created polarization in the society. After enjoying almost four and a half years in power, Imran Khan has nothing to tell the nation about the promises he has made, except the same speeches and rhetoric which he is doing for years.
Imran Khan is using Islam as a tool to obtain his political objectives. During the long march in Islamabad when Imran Khan was addressing to crowd his ex-deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri asked him to give little Islamic touch and he did the same. This thing shows how Imran Khan is using Islam for political purposes. There are certain reasons which cause the failure of Imran Khan’s Long March or Azadi March, for example, Imran Khan had announced that he will bring 2 million people to Islamabad but only a few thousand people came. Punjab is considered half of Pakistan in terms of population and Imran Khan had made a big procession at Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore but we have witnessed that the people of Punjab did not come as Imran Khan was claiming and expecting. Even his party’s main leaders like Fawad Chaudhary and Shaik Raseed failed to bring large crowed as both were claiming.
The other thing in this Long March was the absence of big ATMs like Jahangir Tareen and Haleem Khan who had managed all expenses of Imran Khan’s party in the past, but now they are not supporting Imran Khan. Without a big ATM, it is difficult to manage such types of activities. After reaching Islamabad near the Red zone the sudden announcement of Imran Khan shocked its supporters when he announced by saying that he is giving six days ultimatum to gov’t to announce fresh elections otherwise I will come back again. After that Imran Khan left his supporters alone in Islamabad and went to Peshawar.
Although Imran Khan used the state machinery of KPK, AJK, and GB governments where its party is ruling he failed to bring large crowed from these respective areas. On the other side, gov’t resisted more than Imran Khan’s expectations because gov’t resistance against PTI was Imran Khan’s past conduct. On the other side, People know Imran Khan always took U-turns. Our founding Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam had said the leader is one who stands by his words. But Imran Khan never stood on his own words and always took U-turns.
