By Ajay Kaul
Pakistan, which is already facing severe turmoil in occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is headed for further trouble as another hornet’s nest has been stirred by its Politico-Military leadership.
A new front of confrontation has been opened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where security is already a huge challenge because of increasing dominance by Islamist armed outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant organisations.
The regime in Islamabad has provoked common masses in the Pashtun-dominated Province by virtually declaring a war there by dismissing their popular provincial government led by imprisoned Imran Khan’s Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
The army-backed federal coalition government of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) imposed emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, a day ahead of the planned march by PTI supporters to Islamabad to press their demand for early release of Khan, a former Prime Minister and cricketing star of the country.
The move has triggered large-scale street protests and violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the common masses have already been nursing extreme anger against the Army-controlled regime of Islamabad over the three-year incarceration of Imran Khan and torturous treatment meted out to him.
Many places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the capital Peshawar, have been witnessing furious protests by PTI supporters who want to settle scores.
The hatred is particularly towards the Pakistan Army, whose chief is believed to be behind the illegal ouster of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister three years back and ill treatment towards him.
The Pakistani military has also been humiliating, kidnapping and torturing elected representatives of PTI, including Sohail Afridi, the ousted Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The protests are likely to increase in the coming days and weeks as the anger among the Pashtuns is deep-rooted and intense.
The start of the mass protests will definitely add to the troubles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the federal regime and particularly the armed forces are facing a severe challenge from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The Islamist armed organization, which is engaged in a direct fight with the Pakistani armed forces, will try to encash the public anger against the dismissal of the provincial government in its favour and it has already started the effort.
TTP spokesman Muhammad Khorasani has issued a statement, saying, “This is a decision imposed by the military junta, completely contrary to the wishes of the people and nations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
He said “This forced and cruel decision is acceptable neither to religious parties nor to political parties” and invited “the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (especially those whose rights have been robbed) to come to the forefront and support the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to get rid of the military establishment”.
The TTP spokesman warned the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that the Pakistani regime “can do anything to rob your resources and rights…Let it be remembered by the entire nation that the terrible consequences of Governor’s rule will come to light. Then don’t say that you didn’t hear about it!!
Insisting that “martial law is practically in force in the whole of Pakistan”, Khorasani said, “The pretext of restoring peace and order on which Governor’s rule has been imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is neither among the priorities of the federal government nor part of the policy of the military regime.”
The armed Islamist group has stepped up the frequency and intensity of attacks on Pakistani forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the recent months.
During the months of August and September alone, TTP killed over 500 personnel of Pakistani forces and injured around 800 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Other armed militant groups also killed and injured numerous personnel of the Pakistani forces.
While the Pakistani forces have failed to defeat these militant groups, they have been indulging in atrocities against the locals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the Pashtuns are viewed by the regime in Islamabad as supporters of TTP.
Because of this, there is widespread anger among the local Pashtuns against the regime in Islamabad, which is mockingly called the “Punjabi government (meaning the government of Punjab province alone)”.
POJK
Massive turmoil is already going on in POJK where a mass movement is underway since over 4 months against the illegal Pakistani rule and there are no signs of it ending anytime, at least in the near future.
The Pakistani regime has been trying desperate attempts to crush the agitation by Kashmiris by unleashing brutal force and other oppressive means. However, people of POJK have refused to yield even after more than 100 men, women and children have been killed and hundreds of others injured.
Mass rallies, demonstrations and processions continued unabated throughout POJK, with the Kashmiris, including women, braving the bullets of the Pakistani forces.
Although it has not been named so, the agitation is essentially is a full-fledged revolt against the illegal Pakistani occupation, with the bedrock being the demands for basic rights.
It was originally-planned as a ‘Long March’ to Muzaffarabad from all parts of POJK, a part of Jammu and Kashmir which was militarily occupied by Pakistan in October 1947 before accession of the princely state to India.
Lakhs of people, including women and elderly, zealously participate in non-stop rallies, demonstrations and processions where the Pakistani regime and its demonic military are slammed and cursed for the oppression continuing since the last 78 years.
Balochistan
In Balochistan too, the Pakistani regime and its forces are facing intense onslaught from the armed freedom-seeking Baloch organisations like Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and Baloch Republican Guards (BRG).
Over the last 3 months, nearly 200 Pakistani soldiers have been killed or injured in umpteen attacks by these rebel outfits.
The daring Baloch freedom fighters have also been increasingly seizing control of various cities and towns of Balochistan from the occupying Pakistani forces, shocking and mocking the Pakistani regime.
Lately, the Baloch freedom fighters have also started disrupting the loot of Balochistan’s rich mineral resources, like Lithium, by Pakistan and its surrogate companies. The Baloch rebels have been intercepting and setting ablaze the vehicles transporting such stuff out of Balochistan.
According the data collated by a Pakistani think tank, there were 3,145 attacks in the country this year till July end. The frequency and intensity of the attacks has grown significantly compared to the previous years.
