The crackdown by security forces on democratic protesters in neighbouring country is worrisome. Pakistani government has imposed strict restrictions on lakhs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters who have taken to the capital Islamabad on the call of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi to release jailed former Prime Minister and Pakistan PTI leader Imran Khan.
Security forces have pre-emptively arrested thousands of protesters. They blocked roads with shipping containers and concrete barricades. Closed major highways and suspended mobile and internet services. In short, police has shut down the national capital. Despite all the restrictions and obstacles, lakhs of people reached D-Chowk in Islamabad. There too, clashes broke out between security forces and protesters as they were prevented from holding a demonstration.
Six people, including security personnel, were killed in these clashes. A large number of PTI supporters were arrested that night. Imran Khan announced from prison that he was temporarily calling off the agitation. However, the protesters' demands were not met. The PTI protest was successful in showing how strong the aspiration of the Pakistani people for democratic rights is. As a cricketer, Imran Khan, who gave Pakistan the World Cup, did not flee the country like other rulers fearing military conspiracies. For standing up to them, he was imprisoned in over 150 criminal cases. The responsibility to prevent a political crisis from arising in Pakistan, which is already mired in an economic crisis due to the IMF's economic policies, lies with the PML (N) & PPP-led coalition (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People’s Party) government.
The government and the army, which are the supreme authority, are not interested to release the opposition leader Imran Khan. This is the reason for the massive protests by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa people and the PTI activists. Although Imran came to power with the support of the army, he tried to make independent decisions to assert his existence after some time. The army could not tolerate this contempt. At the same time, Imran's friendship with Russian President Putin angered United States. American imperialistic forces and the Pakistani army came together and toppled the Imran Khan’s government in 2022. They imprisoned Imran.
In the Parliament elections held in February this year, interim government was banned the PTI's election symbol, the 'cricket bat'. During the polls, the army committed many irregularities such as rigging and booth capturing. However, Imran's supporters who contested as independents entered parliament in significant numbers. According to the strength of numbers, Imran Khan should ascend the throne. But that opportunity did not come as all his supporters won as independents. Nawaz Sharif's PML Nawaz party won the most seats. As a result, the party joined hands with PPP and came to power. Meanwhile, the latest protests are proof that Imran Khan's popularity is growing among the people.
Shehbaz-led PML N & PPP coalition government has decided to further implement the same IMF policies that caused Pakistan's economic crisis. It has signed an agreement with the IMF for a $7 billion loan. These policies have not been able to solve the problems facing Pakistan, such as high prices and severe unemployment.
As people are taking to the streets in discontent, the government is trying to suppress them in a dictatorial manner. This is also a major reason why the people responded so strongly to Imran's call from prison. Now, the coalition government and the army should be ready to listen to the voices of the protesters and resolve the issue amicably through mutual discussions. Otherwise, they will be responsible for the consequences that follow. The recent public revolts and political developments in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should be a warning to the Pakistani rulers.
