Red line breached all around: STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan

Folks let us keep it simple; it is bullet versus ballot. The barbaric commando style action to kidnap Imran Khan was shameful, demeaning and a gross violation of human dignity. IK was hit, pushed and manhandled like a sought after terrorist. For God’s sake he is a former Prime Minister and leader of the biggest political party in Pakistan. NAB and Interior Secretary were just tools; orders came from way above. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice issued a flawed and contradictory order. He declared the arrest legal yet held the executors of arrest in contempt! Since then Supreme Court has declared the arrest illegal and overturned this order.

The haste of two ISPR releases is mind-boggling; they were upset with IK calling out of a rogue intelligence official and then determined IK’s arrest legal. Premature and amateurish. Who is driving these knee-jerk reactionswithout realizing that they are feeding the perception that establishment is partisan? The flag marches in Lahore and KP is deepening the wedge between the forces and the masses. It is another blow to an already tattered image that has evolved over the past 13 months.

Unconfirmed reports put the death toll between 47 and 70. Most were shot in the head. Pakistanis no longer feel secure from their own armed forces. This brutal suppression is not to protect Government property but to frighten those who are seeking the rule of law. The reaction emanated from the illegal arrest and manhandling of the most popular leader of Pakistan. The blame lies squarely on this tottering Government and their backers. I salute PTI workers for putting up brave resistance despite infiltration by agents provocateurs. A red line was breached.

This civilian martial law’s brutality is unmatched in Pakistan’s history. Thousands of PTI leaders have been arrested. Homes ransacked and destroyed with a vengeance. Video of Usman Dar’s sobbing lady relative is earth shattering. Corp Commander Lahore has been removed for not issuing orders of “shoot to kill”. Inhuman tactics are being used to disrespect, insult and arrest ladies.

Imran Riaz Khan has disappeared. Aftab Iqbal were arrested and released on High Court’s orders. Media has been completely muzzled; all channels have become another version of PTV. Internet and social media havebeen blocked. Top Brass of the Army has to realize that respect is earned; it cannot be achieved through the barrel of a gun. Rumblings of dissent within the army are growing. Chief’s personal vendetta could lead to a civil war.

As a nation we have the tendency of looking inwards. Thiscrisis has a much broader spectrum. We saw something similar happen in Egypt in 2013. There are similarities between President Morsi and Prime Minister Imran Khan. They both emerged as a political force after long and protracted struggle against tyrannical rulers. They both challenged the corrupt ruling elite in bed with entrenched mafias that were sucking the blood of the masses. President Morsi was overthrown through a coup. PM IK was removed through the machinations of the then Military Chief, General Bajwa.

In both cases US maintained a stoic silence, ignoring the events. USA claims to be the rock-bed of democracy. Yet it is hypocritical how their preference is to deal with military dictators or corrupt manageable politicians willing to dance to their tunes. Pakistan has been a vassal state of US since the fifties. They found IK disconcerting because he held Pakistan’s interest supreme and spoke up for the Muslims.

US needs to realize that Pakistan is no Egypt; it is a nation of 240 million people, strategically placed next to China and a nuclear power. They must take cognizance of the fact that Pakistanis have changed. This silence is hurting their image badly. They must condemn gross violations of rule of law, human rights, brutal attacks on freedom of speech and violent suppression of dissenters. USA and Europe must side with democratic and popular will of the people not with the compromised, corrupt ruling elite backed by an errant establishment.

The economy is disintegrating as Pakistan moves towards default. Inflation is killing people. Remittances have drastically dropped. Industrial production has tanked. Unemployment is ballooning. International agencies are raising alarms; IMF is not supportive and China is deeply concerned. Sadly PDM and their shortsighted backers have no interest in Pakistan. They are pursuing their threepoint agenda; Eliminate IK from the political scene, prevent elections and safeguard their looted wealth. Reportedly PM Sharif in his flight to London loaded 16 boxes. How many were clothes and how many hadDollars?

The nation is grateful to Supreme Court for preventing the country from degenerating into a total chaos. PDM leaders have gone berserk, both Maryams are making rabid attacks on Honorable Justices; threats to burn their homes have been made. PTI workers resolve is in top gear; they are not cowed down by troop deployment.

Superior Judiciary is attempting to bring sanity. IK’s arrest was engineered to deflect attention from elections in Punjab and KP. Important matters will be taken up in the next few days. Honorable Judges we have faith in your wisdom. Please make your decisions and take steps to enforce them. Posterity will remember you as saviors of democracy in Pakistan.

PDM is running scared and going crazy. They are planning a repeat of 1997 attack on Monday led by Fazal. PTI and lawyers need to continue their solidarity with Judiciary. It may take a call by IK.