Regardless of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s brave words that “it is no hard task”, his government looks in two minds whether to clear the D-Chowk of Imran Khan’s “tigers” and Dr. Tahirul Qadri’s devotees by force or by political means.

This Hobson’s choice was put before the chiefs of the parliamentary parties, called to a huddle on Wednesday afternoon, when the prime minister returned to Islamabad from Attock where he spoke the brave words.

Allies Mehmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Maulana Fazalur Rehman of the Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) are said to have asked the prime minister to give marching orders to the police but the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah of the PPP cautioned the government against taking any rash decision.

According to an insider, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been labouriously building up the defences of the democratic system against the irksome political agitation, appeared a man caught between the proverbial devil and the deep sea at the meeting.

And the mood in the meeting was akin to army generals thrashing out their strategy and moves in a war room.

Only the enemy was the PTI and PAT rabble-rousers entrenched at the gates of the seat of power, said the insider who participated in the political strategy planning.

Some participants suggested to remain united in the Parliament on the issue and let the ‘anti-democratic elements sitting outside’ wear themselves out.

Others reminded the government that ‘attack is the best defense’. However, only a few wanted the government to opt for ‘guerilla warfare’ by way of arresting and harassing the PTI and PAT workers.

That tactic had already been in evidence with no encouraging results because of judiciary’s decisions in the wake of mass arrests.

So what decision the multi-party huddle reached?

A senior PML-N cabinet minister confirmed to Dawn that there were quite a few proponents of using force to “clear out the D-Chowk” but said it was now too late to take that course.

It is also fraught with the danger that such action fuels the fire lit by the PAT-PTI agitation than douse it. At the same time, the government is under increasing pressure from inside and outside the parliament to take “some action” against the protesting duo.

“In the event of use of force there are chances of casualties which the government can ill afford. But, at the same time, we can’t let them keep on challenging the writ of the government and embarrassing us all over the world,” said the minister.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif looks stuck with the dilemma as his government missed the opportunity to use force when the anti-government protestors stormed the Red Zone – its inner sanctum.

Despite their public statements to stand by the prime minister in defence of the democratic system, can he be sure the parliamentary parties would defend whichever option and whatever strategy his government adopts to bring an end to protest movement?

Prime Minister Sharif’s frequent meetings with the heads of parliamentary parties and regular presence in the parliament, are not for nothing. Many of his allies in the fight looked askance at the move to pass a resolution in the ongoing joint session of the parliament approving use of police or army against the so-called “political circus” outside.

“Yes, ideally speaking, the government will love to have a unanimous resolution on the use of police or military to bring back normality in the capital city, but I don’t see that happening,” said a PML-N office-bearer with close ties to the top party leadership.

Right now best option available to the government is “wait and see”.

With the challengers in the streets looking frustrated and the parliament solidly behind him, the prime minister can afford that option.

“Yes, the arrests of PAT and PTI workers reignited their cooling fire but the campfires at the dharnas in the D-Chowk would no more be burning as brightly as before,” said the PML-N office-bearer.

Imran Khan will be leaving the main front, even if to take the battle to other places in the country and Dr Qadri’s ranks are visibly thinning out.

According to some political analysts, the prime minister has done the best he could do in the developing situation – start running the government in routine.

His decision to go ahead with his trip to New York later this month to attend the UN General Assembly indicates that clearly.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014