WION Edit: Azadi March — Imran Khan should see the writing on the wall before it's too late

Political tension is rising in Islamabad, the Azadi March must make Imran Khan very nervous and he knows it.

After all, Khan shot to political popularity with a similar dharna in Islamabad five years ago.

How has he responded? What are the alternatives, in case the deep state decides to replace him? The alternatives may be viewed from two perspectives: What alternative would be best for peace with India? And what alternative will best serve the garrison state?

On WION Edit, we will explore these questions. Ahead of the march, Imran Khan's government signed an agreement with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) Chief Mullah Fazlur Rehman. This was done under the pretext of preventing disruptions to normal life. Much to Imran Khan's surprise the opposition parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), came out in support of the maulana's protest. If the Azadi March continues to mop up even more support, then it could pose a threat to Imran Khan's position, which is why Khan used covert and overt means to keep the march under check.

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The sheer size of the march shows that Imran Khan has reasons to be rattled because the scale and vigour of the protest march is an impressive demonstration of dissent. It also shows a resolve that has not been shaken till now and above all, the growing public support to the march shows that Imran Khan has been a failure as prime minister.

In the event, the army too may be beginning to lose patience with him. The army, Pakistan's deep state, is the real power centre, Rawalpindi matters more than Islamabad.

The army cautioned the maulana against the protest but the opposition did not oblige. Mullah Fazlur Rehman has roused the masses for the march is not powerful enough to be a contender for the top political office.

This Islamic hardliner, who once openly supported the Afghan Taliban, is a galvanising force against Imran Khan. He is an omnipresent figure in Pakistani politics, in spite of his polarising positions on several issues over the years. The maulana failed in his bid for the presidency last year.

Thus, even if the army wants a political face, it may not be Mullah Fazlur Rehman. At best, he is a gauge for the Pakistan army to get a sense of the nation's mood.

That brings us to Imran Khan's political rivals, the PPP and PML-Nawaz who have both been hounded by him.

Nawaz Sharif was convicted by a judge in dodgy circumstances. The party's heir apparent, Maryam Nawaz, was locked up at the exact moment when she started mobilising people's support. Her husband was detained on trivial charges. The former prime minister - Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is behind bars.

The opposition PPP's leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari is in jail without trial.

Imran Khan enjoyed the army's backing in politically disabling his opponents. He's totally in sync with the army, doesn't question the military's authority and the army has helped him hold on to office so far, that is. But the army can see that Khan's tenure has caused widespread discontent and dissent and such democratic expressions are not good for the army's authority, now it is for the army to see how best it can use the situation arising out of the Azadi March.

For India, any party with established democratic credentials is better.

In fact, both Nawaz Sharif and Zardari have attempted to resolve the Kashmir issue with India in the past. They have both spoken about putting economic ties above Kashmir, probably, that's why they have been targeted by the hardliners. At the same time, Sharif and Zardari have resorted to anti-India rhetoric for political mileage, that's the best Pakistan's democracy offers and which India must accept.

But, there is not much India can do, New Delhi can only hope that democratic voices come to the fore in Islamabad, which is not easy in a situation where the army wouldn't want to lose control.

Over the years, the Pakistan army has achieved the notoriety of hanging one prime minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

It has also been accused of assassinating Benazir Bhutto.

And that is why Imran Khan is concerned.

Khan looks like the latest pick of the Pakistan Army that has failed and the army is not kind to those who fail its purpose. Khan should see the writing on the wall and read it right before it is too late.