As the PTI's long march turns into a circuitous one, it is increasingly becoming clear that it is heading nowhere - both literally and metaphorically. In fact, it may have triggered an outcome for the party far bigger than intended, and far less favourable than expected.

Let's do a deep dive:

1. The status quo in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa may have outlived its utility. Change is in the air. This change is a by-product of three factors (i) Uncoordinated decision-making by the PTI leadership; (ii) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's compulsions to fulfil his leader's perceived expectations; and (iii) Spike in terrorism and PTI's inability to adjust its approach accordingly. Taken together, these three factors have set in motion a series of events that may be very difficult to reverse from here on.

2. The federal government has a few constitutional options on the table. Whichever one it decides to go with, the outcome - direct or indirect - may be as follows: (i) PTI government in K-P will lose its executive authority in any real sense of the word (or will be diluted to an extent that it will mean the same); (ii) K-P assembly will have little role that could obstruct the governance of the province from the Centre; and (iii) the office of the chief minister will be hollowed out and its occupant will either go home or will sit in his room and catch up on his casual reading. From the federal government's perspective this will be a legally water tight........

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