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Pakistani army under General Asim Munir has once again asserted its dominance on the Pakistani landscape. It has demonstrated its stranglehold on the government, political parties, and the people of Pakistan.
(As famously stated by Major Gaurav Arya in his talks, ‘Pakistani Army has never lost a war against its own people’).
Followers of Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan founder and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf , a political party, took to the streets when Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of the High Court in Islamabad.
There was a moment in the history of Pakistan on 9th May when it appeared that the people of Pakistan had built up courage to stand up to its army. Slogans for azadi and Statements against the army were boldly made in public space, on the roads of Lahore and Karachi, London, Washington and even in the cyberspace.
Pakistani Army Strikes Back
General Asim Munir, the Chief of the army, and Shahbaz Sharif the Prime Minister of Pakistan were both abroad on state visits, out of Pakistan, when the members of PTI went on a rampage across the country.
Violence erupted on the streets and even the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore, which had once belonged to Jinnah the founder of Pakistan, was vandalised and torched. Clearly the army and the government were caught by surprise and on the wrong foot.
However, the army rallied behind General Munir. Dissidents in the army were warned to hold back any support to Imran Khan and in a closed meeting of military top brass Gen Muneer is learnt to have expressed his severe displeasure against dissident army personnel and even threatened to take actions against their family members.
ISI, the strong arm of the Pakistani army, also called the ‘deep state’ went into action. Hundreds of members of PTI were arrested and taken to destinations unknown. Senior leaders of PTI were arrested (abducted?) and disappeared for short periods. When they resurfaced, even close ‘loyalists’ like Asad Umar ( Finance Minister), Shireen Mazari (minister for Human Rights), Fawad Choudhry etc disowned loyalty to Imran Khan and resigned from the party.
“People are not quitting, they are being forced to leave the party at gunpoint,” he said. “Political parties cannot be dismantled through such tactics.” (Al Jazeera)
Pakistanis are fully aware that once ISI swings into action, the arrested can disappear permanently, and if in an odd instance they reappear, their bodies will not bear any resemblance to the original and will have no life in them.
Pakistan & Revolution?
There can never be a ‘revolution ‘ in Pakistan.
The people of Pakistan, especially Punjab, have suffered from aggression from the west over centuries, from looters and marauders. But they have never ever revolted against the depredations of Kasim, Gaznavis, Ghoris, Nadir Shahs and Timur. Instead in a strange quirk of religiosity, these blood thirsty tyrants who butchered the men and enslaved the women and children are treated as heroes.
The inability to question injustice has been drilled into the Pakistani psyche especially over the last seven decades through intense propaganda. Short-sighted policies of its dictators like Generals Zia and Musharraf has glorified the monsters of terrorism (Jihadis) in the populace, and unquestionable obedience to authorities, in the name of Islam.
It is also a fact that PTI is not the only party in Pakistan. PML, PPP, of Sharifs and Bhuttos are already sharing the spoils of governance today and are waiting for Imran Khan to be neutralised. They fully support the use of brutal tactics of the ISI in dismantling Imran Khan’ PTI.
Also, while Imran Khan has a major following in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa i.e., Pakhtunkhwa, people in Sind or Baluchistan are not fully in support of Imran Khan.
A full throttled propaganda against Imran Khan has been set in motion , highlighting his addiction to drugs and alcohol, inability to face time in jail unlike his predecessor prime ministers like Sharifs and Bhuttos who spent years in Pakistani Prisons at the behest of ISI. Added are a hundred plus FIRs registered against Imran.
Fate of Imran Khan
Imran khan committed a major error in overestimating public support, and a gross under estimation of the strangle hold of Pakistan army.
He did not learn from the tragic death, hanging, and exile of Benazir Bhutto, Zulfiqar Bhutto , Nawaz in exile In London. He did not realise that he could go the way hundreds before him had gone, for opposing Pakistani army,
Last heard, Imran may be put under house arrest and be deprived of any communication facilities with the outside world. He and his wife Ishrat have been put on ‘no fly ‘list. Border controls have been tightened.
He has cobbled up a ‘committee’ to negotiate with the powers be. However, after his vitriolic speeches against the Sharifs, Bhuttos and especially the army chiefs, there appears no possibility of Imran Khan coming out unscathed.
If Imran Khan can escape to London and save his life, he should consider himself lucky.
India
In the meantime, it is status quo for India. However, India should stop pretending / self-deception that it can solve Kashmir issue and other problems by talking to any civilian government in Pakistan. Deal directly ( if as and when) with the Pakistani army if there must be any meaningful outcome on any existing issue.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.
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