One of the advantages of the deep-rooted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is that there are a large number of journalists in the mainstream media who are affiliated with the party. Just as political parties have no spiritual agendas, they are for purely worldly affairs.
Of course, the affiliation of its members is not for the pleasure of Allah but for worldly interests. However, such worldly interests are not a bad thing. When a citizen votes for the PML-N thinking that the economy was improved in those days which also recovered our employment conditions, it is also a worldly interest, but it is a natural and legitimate interest.
Worldly interest becomes defective when it takes one of two forms: First is that this interest should be given priority even if it conflicts with a religious requirement. And the second is that this interest should be taken more than its legitimate right. Obviously, all kinds of illegal tactics are tried in this regard, from flattery to bribery. Journalists belonging to or voting for the PML-N also include these two types of people.
Now the question is whether PTI also has such people available in mainstream media? The hot winds have turned towards the PTI camp. Even though we have newspapers and TV channels that have a label of ‘Tabdeeli’. But the question is whether these newspapers and channels are affiliated with Imran Khan or PTI?
This question is very important because none of the channels and newspapers that we know as PTI platform have any history of affiliation with Imran Khan or his party. The history of all of them is related to someone else. I mean, “Mane’s father.” Just like after 2011 some political herds flocked to PTI, some journalistic also turned at the same time.
So the question becomes very important whether PTI has its own anchors or columnists who influence public opinion. And this is important because when the Establishment started tracking down Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri against the PML-N in 2014, it was the pro-PMLN journalists who lined up against the Establishment and the “London Plan” became popular.
Becoming a rival of the Pakistani establishment is not a child’s play. One has to confront such people before whom the Prime Minister looks helpless. The rivals are either deported or hanged. Courage is needed to face such a force. It is worth noting that what happened in 2014 that the Establishment had to make a London Plan?
Not only that, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had dared to lay hands on Musharraf and had also given a clear signal that he would not take the line of establishment in foreign policy. There were some meetings in London to get them deported, in which the plan was named the London Plan.
So at the end of 2021, the same thing happened. If anyone thinks that the Establishment is complaining to Imran Khan that he did not deliver, then this idea should be thrown out of mind. Because they started to bury the economy in the first year, but that “one page” remained until September 2021, which finally torn in November last year.
So what happened that the page was torn and the London Plan began to be made? This is what everyone from Muhammad Khan Junejo to Nawaz Sharif has been doing: Irreverence. The limit has been reached, even the biggest selected person in the history of the country has committed insolence.
Interviews of three generals. Nobody did that. The result is exactly the same as in 2014. That is, the “London Plan” was once again came to light. But what has not happened is that we do not see a single man from the ranks of the ‘Tabdeeli’ press who can dare to challenge the London Plan and face the Establishment.
So the question is, does the PTI have any journalists who are affiliated with it? From its ranks we are hearing such voices which are denying the possibility of any conspiracy and saying that all is well, the narrator is writing in Chinese. But no voice is heard lamenting the London Plan.
The answer to this question cannot be found unless one looks at the early days of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The PML-N also emerged as a selected party. And then the famous journalists who affiliated themselves with the party were the most “patriots” of that era.
From the late Salahuddin of Takbir to Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, everyone belonged to the “Patriotic Group”. Among them was Salahuddin, who withdrew his support from Nawaz Sharif and the Establishment for the first time, and stood by those at whose behest he became a supporter of Nawaz Sharif.
While Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami preferred Nawaz Sharif. Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi and Irfan Siddiqui have also the same history. They used to be very patriotic but then they became loyal to Nawaz Sharif. So now they are counted among the traitors. Will history repeat itself this time too? Will some patriotic journalists join the ranks of traitors this time too?
I don’t think that will happen. And there are two reasons for this. The first is that the rates set by the Establishment in the 90’s were very low. Nawaz Sharif had increased the price and people will stand by the good price. The second reason is that Nawaz Sharif had deep roots in Pakistan and especially in Lahore. While Imran Khan has all his roots in London. Even his children are Pakistanis in the sense that they are Khan’s sons.
Nawaz Sharif has a reputation as a man of integrity. I have heard and seen in the form of pictures that his table is the most attractive one in Pakistan. On the other hand, Khan Sahib is known for his contemptuous attitude towards the visitors and all knows that he has a kitchen in his house but no cups of tea.
It is this difference of attitude that makes people loyal to Nawaz Sharif to the point where they are ready to clash with the establishment. Why should anyone clash with somebody for Khan Sahib? It is their history that the people closest to them become the most miserable.
