ISLAMABAD: A chorus of criticism greeted Imran Khan’s call for civil disobedience on Sunday night, with the announcement being dubbed “unconstitutional” and “undemocratic” by political parties on both sides.

By calling for civil disobedience, the Tehreek-i-Insaf chief is trying to create chaos and turn the people of Pakistan against one another, said Information Minister Pervez Rashid.

Senator Mushahidullah, a spokesperson for the ruling PML-N, said, “Imran Khan has pitted the people and the state against each other.”

Also on Sunday night, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali tweeted “The law is clear. No bill, no electricity”, apparently in response to Mr Khan’s call for party workers to stop paying utility bills and government taxes.

He said that PTI workers, and indeed the whole nation would reject Mr Khan’s call for civil disobedience. “He is living a life of luxury, but he wants to snatch the right to lead simple and peaceful life from the people,” he said.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the main opposition party in parliament and one of the entities leading rapprochement efforts between the PTI and PML-N, also came out against the announcement. Former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told Dawn he could not figure out what Imran Khan wants. “It is astonishing. How can he ask his workers to disobey the law of the land while being in parliament and ruling an entire province,” he asked, rhetorically.

He said Mr Khan’s idea of civil disobedience was unclear and he would want to know whether the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — the province where the PTI runs the government — would also refuse to pay utility bills and taxes.

Commenting on the government’s decision to form separate committees to negotiate with Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, Mr Kaira said, “Although the decision comes a little late, it will help overcome the prevailing political crisis in the country.”

National Party (NP) President Hasil Bizenjo told Dawn that politicians should act sagaciously under the present circumstances. He was also concerned about whether both the PTI and PAT would agree to talk to the government committees.

In a TV interview on Sunday, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said he was quite disappointed with Imran Khan’s decision. “If he wanted to announce civil disobedience, why did he bring his workers to Islamabad? He could have simply made the announcement in a press conference,” he said.

He urged the people not to obey Imran Khan’s call for civil disobedience.

Awami National Party’s Haji Adeel also rejected the call for civil disobedience and termed it an “astonishing move”. He said the only time he remembered civil disobedience being used as a protest was the Salt March of 1930, which was against a foreign government.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2014