Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in his latest video message has warned of attacking Punjab and threatened to use violence yet again, as he incited the people – especially the tribesmen – to unite for his “holy war” against the Federation and the constitutional order.

The incarcerated PTI founder is the one who had advocated for opening the offices of TTP. Given an opportunity, he later settled thousands of TTP terrorists in the province his party has ruled for 11 years.

It is a clear sign that the PTI – the party founded by Imran Khan – doesn’t believe in political process and democracy. Surprised? No, certainly not.

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One must never forget that the incarcerated PTI founder is the one who had advocated for opening the offices of TTP. Given an opportunity, he later settled thousands of TTP terrorists in the province his party has ruled for 11 years.

He had even agreed to nullify the merger of the tribal belt into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the behest of Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda, with the purpose of providing a safe haven to all kinds of jihadists in our border region.

Imran’s desperate push for violence stems from the possibility of his military trial in connection with the May 9 events, aimed at mutiny in the armed forces, and a tough sentence in the 190-million-pound corruption case.

He is desperate because of the findings of the inquiry against former ISI chief Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed clearly establishing the link between the two.

Meanwhile, the 190-million-pound case is also enough to get him sentenced for a long jail term.

On one hand, the Taliban terrorists have somehow managed to gain the status of championing the Afghan nationalism, and on the other, they are fortunate to see PTI – the allied party in Pakistan – fuelling the Pakhtun nationalism to their advantage.

No wonder why Imran and his associates had decided to push Pakistan back into the vicious circle of terrorism by importing the expelled TTP.

On one hand, the Taliban terrorists have somehow managed to gain the status of championing the Afghan nationalism, and on the other, they are fortunate to see PTI – the allied party in Pakistan – fuelling the Pakhtun nationalism to their advantage.

This alignment on both sides of the Durand Line – the international border separating Pakistan and Afghanistan – is the gravest security threat Pakistan has ever faced. Why? Because terrorism and politics have mixed together.

Given that Gandapur, who holds the constitutional office of chief minister, is using his province as a base to attack the state, the only practical option left is imposition of governor’s rule.

But the most alarming factor complicating the affairs is the failure to punish those involved in the failed May 9 coup attempt. It has emboldened Imran and his party as they think that the state is so weak thanks to the presence of facilitators at different levels that it cannot go after them.

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So, weakening the state is an objective shared by both the Taliban and the PTI. In fact, they are working hand in glove to achieve the goal.

Those arguing that the PTI shouldn’t be labelled as a Taliban proxy must answer a question: why a party ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for over a decade is against any action against the terrorists in the province?

Fast dwindling public support of the PTI in Punjab displayed vividly during recent botched calls for protest by the party in the province means that it will go even more violent to ensure its survival. A party earlier claiming to be a federal party is now fast turning into a narrow nationalist, religious extremist and terrorist mode. The “promised revolution” isn’t coming through the streets of Punjab. Therefore, the PTI is now solely banking on the instigating violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and using the extremists it has been associated with.

Fast dwindling public support of the PTI in Punjab displayed vividly during recent botched calls for protest by the party in the province means that the PTI will go even more violent to ensure its survival.

In short, Imran, rightly named as Taliban Khan, wants anarchy and create an environment where the state becomes ungovernable.

However, the brighter side is that Pakistan hasn’t reached a point where the state institutions can’t be overhauled and reformed. No one has fully lost the control.

But the state needs to take decisive steps. Otherwise, things could reach a point of no return.

Given that Gandapur, who holds the constitutional office of chief minister, is using his province as a base to attack the state, the only practical option left is imposition of governor’s rule.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif must convene an all-parties conference minus the PTI and develop a consensus over the issue and create a broad-based front against the new terrorist threat emanating both from within and without. Time is running out. Democracy doesn’t mean that the state could be held hostage by the anti-state elements as they have a “difference of opinion”.