New Delhi: The resentment against the establishment in Pakistan, especially the army, is growing rapidly as the number of civilian deaths owing to its atrocities is on the rise.
The action of the security personnel against the members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is an example of brute force being used to silence peaceful protesters.
An intelligence assessment says that the security forces killed nearly 40 TLP members who were protesting in Muridke. The use of force was such that the TLP members decided to call off their protests. In fact, the TLP now says that it would hold protests on October 17 at the Data Darbar, which is a religious site in Lahore.
The TLP says that it would regroup on October 17 for a strategy meeting, following which the future course of action would be decided.
While the protests may have subsided, there is much to worry about for Pakistan.
The Afghan Taliban has reached out to the TLP and offered support.
There are many from Imran Khan’s party who are also reaching out to persons who share grievances against the establishment.
The establishment also has plenty of problems when it comes to the Balochistan Nationalist Army (BLA) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Recently, there were widespread protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), yet again against the establishment.
Officials say that Pakistan cannot beat down such protests all the time with force. There will be a breaking point soon, and the establishment will be dealing with a culmination of all these disgruntled voices. This would pose the most difficult challenge for Pakistan, especially its security forces.
The common point that all the disgruntled voices have raised is against the leaders of the country.
Not just organisations such as the TLP, the TTP or the BLA, but even the common man in Pakistan is angry with the state of affairs.
The arrest and the forced removal of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister is a major factor that has led to resentment among the people. The people have questioned the very meaning of a democracy after the removal of Imran Khan, who was elected through a proper process.
The people are also upset with the army since they feel that it is this institution that is running the country through a puppet like Shehbaz Sharif.
Indian intelligence agencies, which are watching the developments closely, say that there is a huge storm brewing in Pakistan. Now, with the Afghan Taliban reaching out to the TLP, it is a signal that all anti-establishment forces would be united in their battle against the Pakistan government. All these elements are becoming more determined to take on the establishment, and after a point of time, there is very little that can be done about it.
The anger among the public is such that they are likely to take to the streets.
There is a limit to which the security forces can use force to silence the citizens. Very soon, the international community would step in and call out the gross human rights violations committed by Pakistan.
While security forces may have managed to silence the protesters by opening fire on them, the fact, however, is that the morale among the Pakistan Army soldiers is very low. The losses that the army has faced at the hands of the TTP and the BLA are not just huge, but very embarrassing as well.
The claim by the Taliban that it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers has also worsened the morale among the army. The Taliban claimed that 58 soldiers were killed in a retaliatory strike near the Durand Line in Berhampur district. All these are signals that the establishment, which is controlled by the army, is gradually losing its grip on the situation, and its days of control with an iron fist are now numbered.
(IANS)
