KARACHI:
On 9th May, following Imran Khan’s arrest, groups of agitated supporters staged violent protests in several cities targeting sensitive military installations including the General Headquarters, an airbase, and Jinnah House. These attacks on military installations by politically agitated protesters are unprecedented. This can be equated to the 6th of January 2021 attack on the US Capitol Hill. Thousands of Trump supporters, including war veterans stormed the Capitol building in Washington.
In both cases the attacks were carried out on symbols of the state, challenging its writ, by supporters of political leaders with a cult-like following. Trump had repeated false claims of election irregularities and said, “If you don’t fight like hell, you are not going to have a country anymore”. More than 2,000 rioters entered the Capitol building and vandalised it. Five people died and over 138 police officers were injured. Over 476 individuals charged pleaded guilty and have been imprisoned. Several have been convicted of seditious conspiracy and at least 57 people running for public office are in prison. Back in 2014, PTI and Pakistani Awami Tehreek (PAT) staged a sit-in in Islamabad’s Red Zone that lasted 126 days. During the sit-in, PTI and PAT protestors stormed PTV headquarters, which is a symbol of the state. SSP Asmatullah Junejo was beaten by the activists of these parties and PTV went off the air.
On 9th May, PTI Houston also staged a protest where anti-Pakistan slogans were raised. Such violent protests have never been staged by the Indian diaspora in the US, UK, Canada, etc after major political events such as Rahul Gandhi’s recent arrest. This is because the Indian constitution does not allow dual nationality and only citizens holding a single Indian passport can join any Indian political party. Similarly, all stakeholders must prioritise the country as the fate of 223 million people is wedded to it.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2023.
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