After three and a half hours long meeting between PM Nawaz Sharif and COAS General Raheel Sharif, Interior Ministry Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has announced that security has been handed over to Pakistan army which would be deployed at important and sensitive installations and other places.
According to government strategy, police has been placed in frontline, FC, Rangers in second while the army would be remained in third place to stop protesting parties’ leaders, activists and supporters from entering into Red Zone.
Ch Nisar maintained that law and constitution permits the government to call in the army under articles 131 and 245. Though Ch Nisar made it clear that army has not been called against any political party as the government still believes in resolving issues politically
But in the same time he made it clear that nobody will be allowed to deteriorate law and order situation in the capital.
The move was not surprising for any body as it was being expected that the government would opt for seeking armed forces’ help as a last resort to stop enraged PAT and PTI’s activists, supporters to besiege sensitive installations located at Constitution Avenue and in and around Red Zone.
The PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri with the backing of allied parties and activists has announced to enter in Red Zone no matter what may it cost. He has asked the supporters and activists not to enter or resort to pelting stones on any of the embassies, installations or law enforcement agencies personnel. He has also warned the concerned quarters that his Inqlabi March would remain peaceful even after reaching in front of Parliament House. PAT chief has again made it clear to the government that he would not hold any kind of dialogue till the end of PML-N government. He has refused to meet with even those political parties which do not belonged to power corridors. The Jamaat Islami Amir Sirajul Haq frustrated by his attempts to bring a rapprochement between the government and PTI and PAT, has said that the politics has reached at dead end. On the other hand, PTI chief Imran Khan is heading his party workers. Like PAT chief, Imran Khan has told his party activists to remain calm and not to indulge in any kind of violence. Until now, the leaders as well activists and supporters of both protesting parties haven’t resorted to violence and remained peaceful. But according to Imran Khan, he has been compelled to lead activists towards Parliament House, as it was the demand of his party’s enraged activists to breach red zone..
The situation seems to be getting worst as the government is not mood to let the marchers to enter into red zone what to say about letting them reach in front of the Parliament House. The other political parties are trying on their level best to defuse the tension which could result into derailing the democratic system but also harm the country’s integrity. If the charged crowd of PTI and PAT opt for violence then the possibility of use of force cannot be ruled out. If some anti democratic/ anti-state elements made their way into the enraged marchers and try to turn the enraged workers to resort to violence then security forces would have no choice but to use force that might ((God forbid) result into more bloodshed. The country can not afford any clash between the political parties and the security forces under the prevailing circumstances.
There is no final word in the politics. Government had demonstrated maximum tolerance and is using all the channels it could to bring the protesting parties’ leaders to resolve issues as per the constitution. The trend of resolving political differences can not be justified. Though it was due to stubbornness on the part of the ruling party that left not option for the marchers especially for the PTI to go to that extent, but the protesting parties’ leaders particularly Imran Khan should not choose the undemocratic way. It is the duty of each and every politician to play their role in pursuing those elements that were abusing democracy and should be brought on the right path by dialogues in order to save the country from heading towards collision, bloodshed and confusion.
Imran Khan should and must demonstrate true statesmanship by keeping the national interest in supreme. World is watching the entire episode and the conformational politics would only benefit the anti state as well any democratic elements. Any unconstitutional step was taken for the removal of the government; it would set a precedence which would be destructive for politics and democracy in the country.
