For years, Pakistan’s military officials believed they had found the country’s saviour in the shape of Imran Khan. But when he was ousted from power only a year ago, he started threatening them and became their enemy, and the army is doing its best to defend against the outrage of Mr Khan.
Pakistan seems to stand at a standstill as Imran Khan and his party face a nationwide crackdown.
Despite devastating inflation and the hottest summer ever, the nation is racing to see what Khan will do next and what our military will do to contain him.
After he was ousted over a year ago, his supporters started claiming that Khan was their “red line” and that the country would burn to ashes if someone tried to arrest him. After several failed attempts, a group of paramilitary forces did so on May 9.
Although the country was not completely burned down, in fact, Khan’s followers pushed the battle towards the military camps.
The Army Headquarters (GHQ), arguably the most secure place in Pakistan, was vandalized, and people trampled signs bearing military insignia.
A senior general’s home in Lahore was ransacked, and video footage showed Khan’s supporters setting fire to furniture and cars. One of the demonstrators dressed as a general and left, while the other escaped with his personal journals, which may contain some sensitive and important information. One of them flew the scene with a pet peacock. Some ran with the meals and beverages that were stored in the refrigerator.
It was a strange situation when people who were calling the other person a thief started stealing from his house. The justification which was placed into their heads time after time by their leader Imran Khan was that all the stuff they were stealing was bought from their tax money. They need help explaining under which law this is acceptable.
The corps commander’s house, also known as Jinnah house, had all the symbols of revolution that got burned and destroyed during this rift. The rioters were so blindfolded that they didn’t bother when burning down the house, which belonged to the father of the nation Muhammad Ali Jinnah and contained many of his personal belongings used by him when he used to stay there. Sorry to inform you that all those things got destroyed, including his passport.
Clashes with the Pakistan Army are routine for almost every prime minister.
After Imran Khan’s arrest, his supporters did something no mainstream political force had done. Instead of taking to the streets to protest, they attacked the military centres.
Just before the arrest, Khan named Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, as someone trying to crush him and his party.
Before that, he called former COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa a traitor who also helped bring and keep him in power in the past. He also named an ISI general, Faisal Naseer, responsible for an assassination attempt on him. In public gatherings, he and his supporters repeatedly called the accused general “Dirty Harry”.
Many Pakistani politicians in the past have called the army names and shamed the establishment. but Pakistanis have never witnessed a sight where the Corps Commander’s house gets torched or a female protester banging on the gates of Malitary’s General Head Quarters or the toppling of the statues of fallen decorated soldiers.
Many government politicians are now calling for a complete ban on Imran Khan’s political party, “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf” (PTI).
In the past, any retaliation of politicians who have confronted the military was swift away.
Ali Wazir, a member of the parliament, who demanded the army’s sympathy with the Taliban, was imprisoned for two years and banned from attending the parliament. Thousands of Balochistan political activists have disappeared, but neither Pakistani courts nor mainstream political parties are concerned about this dilemma.
A big question arises why is Imran Khan still roaming freely despite having dozens of accusations?
It is believed that Khan successfully created a division within the system. There are officers and their families in the military who are obsessed with him. There is a judicial branch to extend his bail. After a day of captivity, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan summoned him to court and welcomed him with remarks, “Nice to see you,” and ordered him to be placed in a government guesthouse for the night, and another judge released him the next day.
Imran Khan captivated a huge electorate in Pakistan who hated politics and politicians even before he came on the scene. Although his message of clean governance and justice appealed to the masses, whereas corruption increased during Khan’s rule, and many of his political opponents were jailed in fake cases that were never proven.
But his fall encouraged his fans. Many of its supporters are women and young people who have never voted or participated in political gatherings. These people believe they are part of a reform movement that aims to rid the country of all corrupt politicians.
Like Khan, they also used to love the army. Now they are putting all the blame on the military.
Despite Khan’s repeated attacks on the military leadership, many believe that he does not want to reduce the army’s power but only wants the top leadership to love him and help the party as they did in the past.
But after the May 9 riots, the military high command seems to think enough is enough. A current military commander called it “a dark day in Pakistan’s history”.
Imran Khan may have brought a new kind of populist politics to Pakistan, but the military is using the same tactics it used against its predecessors to dethrone him.
Highways in major cities are lined with posters praising the military and pledging their eternal loyalty. The military has also intervened with religious groups that have attacked it in the past, and last week took to the streets to declare their love for the military.
Pakistan Army is also looking for Khan’s supporters in this country.
One of the women wanted by law enforcement for involvement in the May 9 riots was Khadijah Shah, a fashion designer and political activist. She is the granddaughter of a former military commander. Eventually, she also got arrested a few days ago.
Although she denies committing any crime, it is clear that Khan has captivated some of the “military brats” who are willing to set their houses on fire. By arresting and imprisoning Shah, the military sent a clear message to military families to stay away from Khan’s politics.
The military has also attempted to eliminate Khan’s PTI by deciding to mass arrest and military trial workers and leaders involved in attacks on the cantonment.
Many of Khan’s party leaders have been pressured to leave his PTI. Some have fled, claiming that Khan’s aggressive stance towards the Pakistan Army is unacceptable.
Historically, Pakistan’s military has always managed to get its way when faced with civilians. Imran Khan asked his supporters to choose death over slavery. In this dilemma, only ordinary Pakistanis citizens are the ones who have suffered and will continue to suffer if this dust doesn’t settle.
Good effort…..