I always write on the resilience of PTI workers, particularly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa( KPK) , who braved challenging circumstances to reach D-Chowk. In spite of the difficulties faced over two to three years, their perseverance against the odds deserves recognition. While internationally anti-establishment protests are praised, similar movements in Pakistan often face ridicule.
The recent PTI protests in Islamabad, however, disclosed significant lapses in leadership coordination and planning. Except for Ali Amin Gandapur, main leaders lacked the expected presence and strategy. The core issue remains restoring mutual trust within the party.
A strategic opportunity involving Bushra Bibi’s voluntary arrest was reportedly wasted, raising questions about the next steps.
This incident highlights a larger truth: opposition to the establishment on the streets of Pakistan is limited. While public discontent is evident in private discussions, street mobilization remains daunting. PTI has managed to rally significant numbers, a feat mainstream parties can no longer imagine. Nationalist movements among Baloch and Pashtuns appear to be the exception in resisting the status quo.
READ: Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi reach Mansehra
Big mainstream parties, like PPP and PMLN have devolved into regional nationalist entities, unable to mobilize even their core supporters. Meanwhile, Jamat-e-Islami remains divided on PTI, and only JUI-F maintains some organizational cohesion across provinces.The political landscape seems divided, with activism now just a faint echo of what it once was.
