09 May: A black day
THE 09 May has become one of the blackest days in our national history. It was 9/11 for the repute and perception of the defence forces of Pakistan. The political midgets tried to damage the respect, dignity and contribution of the defence forces of Pakistan and its subordinate offices in the country but they all failed miserably. Ironically, the opposition leader Imran Khan defended and termed it as public anger and reaction against his so-called illegal arrest. However, it proved lethal and counterproductive and the institution controlled the collateral damage with sense of social responsibility and visionary leadership played an important role.
Now state is trying to establish its writ through legitimate means and day dreamers are on the run. The merchants of fairytales have not yet condemned the heinous role of the PTI workers which is very painful and has serious consequences. Interestingly, at last the President of Pakistan appealed to his leader to condemn the 09 May riots. It was indeed a day of reckless madness of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, supporters, sponsors and sympathizers in the country who, unfortunately, dared to enter the various Crop Commander Houses, military installations and utility stores in the cantonments and burnt most of them in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The goons, gangsters, guns and hand grenades of the PTI even did not spare memorials of martyrs and purposefully encroached in the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, regional offices of the ISI, MI and IB offices and the government buildings and destroyed people’s transport systems too. It seems that blind submission to arrogant Imran Khan, PTI Chairman eventually instigated all of them to cross the red lines of decency, development, sacredness, social morals, civility, rule of law and last but not the least, national narrative and ploughed the seeds of hatred, prejudice, discrimination and indecency in the metropolitan cities of Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and many others.
The irresponsible behaviour and conduct of the numerous PTI leadership cadres in both the provinces provoked their workers and so-called Tiger Force to invade the uncharted territories. It was indeed a sad day in terms of national solidarity, unity, harmony, dignity, pride, emotional attachment and, above all, pure and true nationalism which was ruined by the hoodlums of PTI the so-called iconic sign of justice and peace. Resultantly, there were fires, thick smokes, smog, ashes and debris in the country apparently geared up to haughtiness of Imran Khan the so-called political Devita but afterward, he proved Porus of porous land. Obviously, immense professionalism, disciplined orientations, decency fabrics, unity of the command and above all true patriotic spirit of the defence forces of Pakistan maintained total restrain and did not react or retaliate against the misled, misinformed and misrepresented mobsters and gracefully handled the sponsored attacks, bashings and media’s false and fake propaganda against them with zeal & zest, patience and, of course, with courage and protected the best interest of the country at large.
The social media team and virtual supports of the PTI played havocs and intentionally disseminated spirits of anger, agony, animosity, revulsion and last but not the least, division, destruction and disinformation against defence forces of Pakistan especially the COAS General Asim Munir and Major General Faisal Naseer, a senior officer of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and heated the spirit of disharmony and thus committed the biggest blunder which would be remembered as political suicide. Moreover, despite special treatment at the apex courts of the country, the ego of Imran Khan did not cool down and he consistently pursued his own self- glorified and self-gratified paths which has now trapped him in the dead-end alley.
Now it is feared that his political survival, acceptability to establishment, so-called popularity in the general masses and rotary would be drastically marginalized in the near future. Ultimately, his political leaders, MNAs, MPAs, Advisors and organizers are now perfectly behaving like migratory birds and started disowning the PTI narrative, disassociating the gross follies of the supporters and dishonouring the instructions of the Chairman. PTI is now in the line of fire. During the entire episode of supporters’ madness, leaders’ psychosis and insanity of the chairman, the role of defence forces and secret agencies remained positive, constructive, productive and participatory. The COAS General Asiam Munir led from the front and warned the culprits to stay away from the national symbols of pride, dignified personalities, places and projects and do not play in the hands of enemies anymore.
In this regard, he reformed national narrative, reunited national resilience, rebuilt trust between martial forces and common people, restored respect of martyrs and revised policies towards deteriorating law & order situation in the country. His successive visits to Peshawar and Sialkot garrisons further enhanced trust and sense of adorability among the soldiers. To conclude it seems that Operation Dismantle has been started and MNAs, MPAs and supporters of the PTI are leaving it. The opposition leader by virtue of his constant and continued political follies and personal grudges has matured his own decline, default and self-destruction.
Political popularity does not mean that one person has become bigger than the state. It also does not qualify someone and anyone to bash others, especially the defence forces and secret agencies which are the frontline defence of our existence, sovereignty, pride, territorial integrity, national narrative and nationalism. The Christ once said self-accountability and pure moralities should be the main criteria and human traits in the society, however, in our country self-made statues of virtue, honesty and piousness are spreading poisons and has already distracted the minds of the youth. Self-glory and self-gratification obsessions have created chaos, uncertainty and unrest among the different segments of the society which is not a good omen for the state, society and the system alike.
Additionally, people badly need direction not destruction. They deserve development not deformity of the political jugglers. They require peace, progress, prosperity and pure stability and harmony in the country instead of prosecutions and pointless narratives of the narrow-minded politicians which have become completely blind to understand the miseries and socio-economic frustrations of community and common people alike in the country. Please mercy on all of them instead of prolonged mockery and bashing on defence forces of Pakistan. People badly need human, professional, corporate and ecological justice which should not be seemed tiled and somewhat selected. The persuasion of justice should be made easy, smooth and speedy because social frustration has reached its peak against this rotten system, politician’s self-preferential lists, unfriendly attitude of policy makers, brutality of police and inhumane psych of others. The rhetoric of regime change syndrome of PTI has already created diplomatic problems for the state which should not be zigzagged anymore just for point scoring.
—The writer is Executive Director, Centre for South Asia & International Studies, Islamabad, regional expert China, BRI & CPEC & senior analyst, world affairs, Pakistan Observer.
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