According to the veteran political analyst Najam Sethi, last week’s controversial post on the social media platform X by the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, was part of Khan’s ongoing strategy to sow a rebellion in the country’s military.

The X post was accompanied by a short video which argued that the former military dictator Yahya Khan was responsible for the country’s break-up in 1971. The clip also included images of the current civilian and military leadership, alleging they stole PTI’s mandate in this year’s elections. Khan has continued to ruffle feathers, specifically of the military establishment (ME) that was once close to him and aided him in coming to power in 2018.

But, of course, that variant of the ME was different from the one that emerged after Khan was ousted in April 2022 through an act of parliament.

Khan believes the current variant is out to destroy his political career. But more worrying is the notion that Khan, despite being behind bars on numerous charges of corruption, is trying to seek the sympathy of some top military leaders and hoping that they would push out their boss Gen Asim Munir.

The parameters of acceptable political and social discourse have been stretched to such an extent that the likes of Imran khan and Donald Trump can get away with the most outlandish statements

Sethi is one of the country’s foremost political analysts, who chooses his words carefully. He has repeatedly proven to have an inspired understanding of realpolitik. Therefore, one cannot take his view on the purpose of Khan’s X post lightly.

But his claim has been present in mainstream political discourse ever since PTI activists went on a rampage on May........

© Dawn (Magazines)