RIYASAT-e-Medina, ‘50,00,000 houses’, ’10 million jobs’, the elimination of corruption in 100 days, the claims of supremacy of law, defamation and accusations against the national security institutions were all false claims and bluffs by a former Prime Minister of Pakistan. The devotees of the leader of a particular party burned their own country on hearing the news of his arrest. On 9 May, they destroyed government, military, and private properties worth billions of rupees. They forgot that this country is also theirs. If there is Pakistan, then they are. The properties of state institutions were targeted. They measured every voice against their leader as anti-national. According to them, the respect for their leader was more than the sanctity of national institutions. These evildoers considered it their duty to shut down the country, riot, burn, encircle and destroy the lives of the people.
Undoubtedly, after a succession of failures and unfulfilled dreams, the PTI turned into a self-styled, morally free, evil organization. For his own interest and power, the PTI leader made a group of youths from his own country stand against the state, its integrity, the custodian and guardian of the national and ideological borders, the Pakistan Army. Slogans were raised against institutions in public meetings. Indian media got the chance to shout that after dividing the people, the former PM also created cracks in the institutions.
The day of 9 May 2023, will be remembered as a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan. This day proved to be a joy for the enemies of Pakistan and a very sad one for the sincere Pakistanis. The attack on Pakistan Army installations after the arrest of Chairman PTI exposes the fact that the main target of PTI is the institutions that guarantee the integrity of the country. What the eternal enemy of the country could not do in more than seven decades was done by a so-called political party in lust for power. A nefarious attempt was made to force the army to give a quick reaction to the situation of 9 May which could later be used for nefarious political purposes.
Before this incident, Imran Khan gave a last call to his followers to protest if he was arrested. Earlier, we had seen a mild demonstration in Lahore on 14 March 2023, when all kinds of force were used to prevent arrests and the police were attacked. This time they targeted military installations, in which the Corps Command Houses in Lahore and Peshawar, GHQ and the air base in Mianwali were particularly targeted. Many memorials of martyrs were vandalized, military equipment and vehicles were burnt. Public buses and metro buses were also not spared. Unrest was spread in big cities under systematic planning. This kind of vandalism has never been seen before in the history of the country. Not even after the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the sad martyrdom of Benazir!
PTI stalwarts had already warned that Imran Khan’s arrest would mean crossing the red line and it would not be tolerated. Pakistan is in the deadly grip of hybrid warfare and an entire generation has been brainwashed. The germs of rebellion, agitation and mob violence were constantly implanted in the minds of youth enthralled with enthusiasm. His true face was exposed last year. Since then, a continuous smear campaign has been launched against the army and agencies. However, everyone should know that this country is not a personal fiefdom of anyone, which they can use for their personal and political interests.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
