Hamid Mir1 day ago
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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched an aggressive media campaign against his most powerful political opponent Imran Khan. Seven new cases of terrorism and conspiracy against the country have been registered against Imran Khan on 26 November 2024. The number of cases registered against him has now crossed 200. Khan’s supporters have launched a counter-campaign not against Shehbaz Sharif but against the Pakistani Army, because they feel that Shehbaz Sharif’s real power comes from Army Chief General Asim Munir.
The question is, how can Imran Khan hatch a conspiracy while in jail? Shahbaz Sharif’s government believes that in reality it was Khan who, through his wife, had sent the message to his party to mobilize against the government. The PTI leadership had planned to storm Islamabad with the aim of repeating the Hasina Wajid incident in Bangladesh. Some PTI leaders clearly said that there is no difference between Shehbaz Sharif and Hasina Wajid. Both came to power by rigging the elections. He also claimed that Hasina Wajid was successful in escaping from Bangladesh, but Shahbaz Sharif will not be allowed to escape. Actually, like Bangladesh, they wanted the release of Imran Khan by removing the government.
A security force soldier using force on protesters in Islamabad.
On 24 November, supporters of Imran Khan led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Mrs. Imran Khan started a march from Peshawar. Punjab Police tried to stop them, but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally broke all barriers. They removed large containers placed on the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway and marched towards Islamabad. A large convoy led by Chief Minister and Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi reached Islamabad on the night of 25 November. They waited for other rallies coming from different areas and tried to enter Islamabad on the morning of 26 November.
All roads leading to Islamabad were closed by erecting heavy barriers. More than 20 thousand security forces personnel were deployed around Islamabad. The government called the Pakistani Army into the capital to protect the Prime Minister’s residence and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Thousands of PTI workers and supporters were gearing up to reach D Chowk in front of the Parliament House. Pakistan Rangers and police used tear gas and rubber bullets extensively to control the mob. PTI protesters put up strong resistance. That day Islamabad turned into a battlefield. My office is located right around the corner from D Chowk. When I heard gunshots on the afternoon of 26 November, I reached the rooftop of my four-storey building. I saw PTI supporters dancing at D Chowk and the Rangers retreating from their positions.
It was becoming difficult for me to breathe because of the tear gas, but PTI workers were throwing tear gas shells at the rangers and police. The Prime Minister’s residence is only half a kilometer away from D Chowk. I saw a new attack by security forces at around 2 pm. Security forces took back control of D Chowk after killing more than 12 PTI workers. After sunset PTI decided to recapture D Chowk. His supporters were gathering at China Chowk, half a kilometer away from D Chowk. At around 7:30 in the evening, CM Ali Amin and Mrs. Imran Khan reached D Chowk with a big rally. At this time we were asked by the Islamabad administration to vacate our building. A major action was planned against PTI. When I protested against leaving my office, I was told I had no other option. The management of my TV channel decided to shift our newsroom to a nearby hotel. We left the office at 8 pm and within minutes the security forces started firing directly at the PTI rally using snipers deployed on the rooftops of buildings around D Chowk. This was unexpected. This had never happened before in the history of Islamabad.
CM Ali Amin Gandapur decided to retreat to save the lives of Mrs. Imran Khan and the workers. Then they moved towards their province from the Margalla mountains. No one knows how many people were killed in action that night. Hundreds of PTI workers were arrested and by 12 midnight a large PTI mob was dispersed from Islamabad using heavy weapons. The state of Pakistan established its rule against a political party through firing. The plan to repeat the recent history of Bangladesh in Pakistan ultimately failed.
Now Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wants to ban PTI, but his biggest ally Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is not supporting this idea. Bilawal wants talks with PTI but now Shahbaz is against this conversation. Shehbaz Sharif government is now trying to prove that Imran Khan is a bigger threat to the army than India. He wants to ban PTI and PTI is planning to attack Islamabad again. Let’s see who wins the next round?