The JUI(F)'s 'Plan-B'

The Maulana Fazlur Rehman's 'Plan-A' of his 'Azadi March' was too ambitious to be duly rewarded - PM Imran Khan didn't resign and remains in power even after 13 days. But the maulana is not disheartened; he has now announced his 'Plan-B'. Given his enigma-ridden pronouncements about 'Plan-A' and how it played out the 'Plan-B' too is kept under wraps, excepting its broad outline. According to what is public about it so far, the JUI(F) provincial emirs have been instructed to lock down several cities and block highways. But how enigmatic; at the same time the maulana insists "we will remain peaceful and non-violent and will not adopt any aggressive posture, but spread the campaign throughout the country". How can you shut down cities and immobilize people's movement without resorting to violent acts. It is incomprehensible unless one is familiar with the Narendra Modi's take on security lockdown and communications blackout in Occupied Kashmir. If the maulana is serious about seeking Imran Khan's resignation then his best bet was the lockdown of the capital where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is solidly entrenched. By blocking roads and force-shutting cities the JUI(F) foot soldiers would be doing nothing but interrupting the common man's day to day life. You don't topple a government by tilting at the windmills, you tilt at the very seat of the government. No wonder then quite a few analysts have compared 'Plan-B' with the melody that lingers on though the song has ended. Unlike the past when the JUI ruled the roost, the art of governance is now a far more complex proposition, so much so that even the otherwise forward-looking PTI government had to contract non-elected professionals to stand for the elected ministers. On the face of it, the JUI(F) doesn't have that kind of repository.

But even if Maulana Fazlur Rehman comes up with a socio-economic agenda - which he does not have - he is short of constitutional and political backing. Imran Khan is a constitutionally-elected prime minister, and so far enjoys the confidence of parliament. That this parliament is product of fraudulent election is an allegation that is strongly rejected by the relevant forums. Also, if the present assemblies are products of a fraudulent election why then his party members sit in these houses. Crudely stated, the maulana wants to have his cake and eat it too. No doubt, the 'Azadi March' is within his constitutionally granted fundamental right. He is welcomed to carry on the march and stage a sit-in at a place agreed to by the administration. But that right is subject to "any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of public order". How do you then justify blocking public thoroughfares and force-closing the markets? Rallies and marches do fit in the limits of democratic governance - they help protestors convey their mind on a given law or policy to government of the day, which in turn is expected to take their due note. But you cannot storm the capital and ask for surrender of an elected government. The maulana sahib also needs to think about the other parties, particularly the PML(N) and PPP; these two major parties went along with him but only for a short distance. They too want Imran Khan to resign, but not at the cost the 'Azadi March' has the potential to exact on the national security. One would expect the JUI(F) leadership to resist having two bites at the cherry.