Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s perspicacity is often the subject of derision, but with regard to the challenge posed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Imran Khan, his decisions have proved to be shrewd. In a meeting with parliamentary leaders on Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif was conciliatory towards Imran, saying the government would not be quick to accept the PTI’s resignations. The PM continues to act with stability in mind, working to reconcile the PTI back into the National Assembly (NA) and keeping the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government intact. The PTI quitting the assemblies and staying on the streets would not be in that interest. The PM judged both the mood of the country and Imran’s strategy correctly during the crisis, gauging that the country does not want to see an elected government ousted after just one year in power. About the dharnas (sit-ins) he guessed that they would not have the steam to last forever if they did not achieve solid outcomes. In fact the dharna could have gained some real concessions for the PTI if the agenda had not narrowed from electoral reforms to the PM’s resignation, which is a demand Imran Khan cannot seem to give up. The longer he persists with it, the more difficult it becomes for him to abandon. He also failed to provide evidence for the claim his entire argument was built on regarding a systematic rigging campaign to install the PML-N in power. Narcissistically imagining that his word was enough to sway people and caught up in his own mythmaking, Imran persisted with an unreasonable demand that no member of the political class or civil society, no matter how opposed to Nawaz Sharif themselves, could support because of the terrible precedent it would set. Imran’s newness to politics and consequent overconfidence pushed him to continue with an untenable position. This has cost him the tentative moral high ground he once commanded because there are enough skeletons in every politician’s closet to cause them embarrassment at any given time. Unfortunately, at this stage it is impossible to separate Imran’s demand for the PM’s resignation from his desire to win or to appear to have won. There is no political sense to the demand otherwise. Nawaz Sharif’s meeting on Wednesday made this point certain. He is working to consolidate the support he received in the NA after the events of August 30, and has gradually steered the public narrative away from Imran Khan and towards parliament, though he could not have done this without the support of the opposition. The dharna monopolised airtime for a few months, but without institutional substance it was inevitably set to lose ground to parliament. Nawaz Sharif weathered the storm but he might not have done so if other political parties had not supported him during that time. Perhaps recognition of this is driving the PM’s more inclusive approach. Given the criticism of his autocratic style of leadership even within the PML-N, this is a welcome development. It may also serve to get the PM moving on a policy track that is more representative of the requirements of the people. PPP Senator Abdul Ghulam Chandio noted on Wednesday that despite Tahirul Qadri wrapping up his dharna, the crisis has not yet passed. Until the PTI comes off the streets the potential remains for rallies to become flashpoints for violence. Also implicit in his statement was the observation voiced by Aitzaz Ahsan early in the crisis that Imran Khan’s demand may be outlandish, but the anger he has touched upon is built on decades of bad governance. Some of his claims have a grain of truth, such as that the government has spent more on Metro Bus projects than education. Senator Chandio’s statement implied that taking parliament along with him is not going to be enough for the PM. He must deliver, not on showcase projects but on the issues that matter to people, such as rising food insecurity, power, health, education, police reform, crime and civic management. Public welfare and efficient service delivery must be the focus of government alomg with development. If one thing has emerged from the dharna it is that business as usual is no longer an option. *