“Liberal commentators, once maligned by Imran Khan as “liberal scum” and “bloody liberals”, have nevertheless been fair-minded and have rightly criticised the Feb 8 elections as heavily managed.

They are part of a growing chorus alleging unfair exclusion of Khan and his PTI. True enough, but so what? Wasn’t that heavy management equally evident in the 2018 elections when Khan rode to power on the coattails of those who later dumped him?

Of course, two wrongs cannot make a right. However, thoughtful people should be troubled by much else, not just the travails of some politician or his party. Most particularly, they should be appalled that, instead of strengthening democracy, Feb 8 was simply a power grab and a horse race followed by horse trade.

The future: we have recently seen convicted felons and politicians whitewashed and cleared. Given this precedent one knows Khan’s release will come within months or years.

He will be declared innocent of crimes that he did not commit but also of those that he did. When he claws his way back to the top, a dark age will descend on Pakistan. Several signs point to this dismal outcome.“

Read the full op-ed here.