Pakistan ex-PM Mr. Khan had asked his followers to march to the Capital and stay there until this government is dissolved and fresh elections are announced.
Police have fired tear gas and charged batons at Khan’s supporters to stop them from reaching Islamabad. Thousands of his supporters have planned to sit in protest in Islamabad until the government announces a fresh election date.
However, nobody got seriously injured and the police had rounded up many supporters. Furthermore, Police just not even fought with them, they were captured in the cameras breaking the windscreens of protestor’s vehicles.
Clashes were not limited to one city, they happened in many cities all over the country. Karachi and Lahore also witnessed confrontations between security forces and the supporters of Mr. Khan.
The government has banned his March, calling he has ‘evil intentions’. In response, Khan’s party has petitioned the Supreme Court to put a stay on the government’s plans and let them March peacefully to the capital.
The entry and exit points of the Capital and other important cities have been blocked. Mr. Khan responded “No blockade can stop us” while marching on the GT Road, heading to Islamabad.
IMF AID:
The protests are happening at a time when IMF is to decide if they are going to resume a $6 billion rescue package. Pakistan is facing a crunch of foreign reserves, a fast-crashing rupee and double-digit inflation.
On top of that, political instability will prove fatal for Pakistan.
Government’s Response:
Police handled the protesters aggressively all over the country. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah informed that police carried out 4,417 swoops on Khan supporters’ home. 1700 people ended up in jail although 250 of them were later released.
Mr. Sanaullah responded by saying “We haven’t stopped anyone from exercising their constitutional end legal right to hold a rally or take part in democratic politics, but we can’t allow anyone to sow violence and chaos.”
The Supreme Court of Pakistan tried to handle the situation by ordering the government and Khan’s party to sit toegther and negotiate the way a peaceful public meeting in the capital.
PM Shehbaz Sharif blamed the PTI government for handing over a sick economy and negating their protests as a nuisance. The coalition government has rejected the demand and conveyed that there is no possibility of polls before next year.
Initially, the government took a casual attitude against marches but the serious nature of the protests eventually led them to put heavy contingents of police and paramilitary troops.
Pakistan: A case study:
Political instability and Pakistan have become a synonym. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a term in the office. So far Pakistan has had 29 prime ministers and Imran Khan was no exception.
Pakistan is bogged down with social and economic issues. It needs a stable political environment to cushion the economic misery. After 70 years of independence, Pakistan has not been able to find a democratic path of development. Whereas as once part of United Pakistan, Bangladesh has been witnessing dramatic growth.
The politics of Pakistan is filled with corruption. It has become a self-serving business. The political cultural of Pakistan has lost its grace. Public have become accustomed to immoral, unethical politics and all efforts of change are superficial.
Pakistan must not miss out on its golden period of growth. It is high time leaders should take the responsibility of taking forward the political culture of Pakistan. A young labor force equipped with skills, given there is political stability, can turn around the fate of Pakistan. With Pakistan’s resources and sea connectivity, it is bound to witness rapid economic growth.
Edited By : Aaradhana Singh
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