A recent survey by Gallop Pakistan has revealed that the PTI Chairman Imran Khan has been positively rated among 61 percent of Pakistanis, whereas only 36 percent have a good opinion about PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. According to the Public Pulse Report of the most reputed opinion poll, Imran received a positive rating from 61% and 37 percent of the population marked him negatively. Meanwhile, province-wise rating stood at 29% from Punjab, 28% from Sindh, and 14% from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the highest amongst the provinces for any politician. On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was rated negatively by 65% of Pakistanis with 32% positive approval. As for Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, 36% of participants rated the PPP chairman positively while 57 percent expressed a pessimistic opinion about him.
Being a cricket star with a philanthropic background, the PTI Chairman has ever received the utmost public support from across all spectrums of Pakistani society in the past years. Historically, educated youth and civil society wholeheartedly supported Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its ever-needed anti-corruption campaign, across-the-board accountability, rule of law, and enforcement of merit and transparency in government affairs and public life. Interestingly, the civil and military establishment also supported Imran Khan out of way and managed things to comprehend the longstanding dream of a third-party and middle-class government that free the nation from British colonial laws and the feudal system in the country.
Unfortunately, the long-awaited PTI government could not realize its economic and social manifesto during its three-and-a-half years of rule in the country, however, the PTI Supermo remained successful in securing public support for his party by branding PDM’s no-confidence motion as a foreign-sponsored regime change conspiracy against his government. Later, Dar’s narrow-sighted economic policies sunk the PML-N-led PDM government and supported Imran’s narrative, which has emerged as the sole alternative to the multiparty ruling alliance in the country. At the same time, PTI’s sugary economic policies including massive subsidies and the Sehat Plus Health card have attracted immense public ratings even though those subsidies severely hurt financial stability, derailed the IMF’s program, and caused serious economic challenges for the country.
Interestingly, PTI’s top leadership failed to adopt a balanced, more mature, and measured political legacy and rather demonstrated an egoistic and combative political approach that often ended up in recurrent U-Turns and caused embarrassment for the party and its supporters. Although, recent public polls are in favor of the PTI Chief, however, Imran Khan’s persistent avoidance of justice and no show up in the courts in multiple cases badly Tarnished his image in the public and damaged the party’s narrative.
Presently, political wrestling and legal battle are continuing between 11 member Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pakistan Tahreek-e- Insaf (PTI) as numerous cases of alleged corruption, electoral disqualification, and money laundering of the former Prime Minister are under trial in the courts. The PTI has tried to resolve legal issues through political tactics, and public pressures that undermined the integrity and sanctity of the judiciary.
Social media campaigns and show of street power in legal issues is unnecessary and counterproductive, therefore, PTI’s Chief must adopt a meticulous policy to safely sail through this crucial period because any misstep in legal matters could undo all opinion polls and public rating in no time.
