Terror patron Pakistan is once again in hot waters as Taliban has poked it on a crucial domestic issue. Actually, the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf supporters have initiated a series of protests and marchs to pressurise the Shehbaz Sharif-led govt to release Imran Khan from Adiala jail.
More recently, a call was made to march towards Islamabad’s D Chowk for protest. The call was made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Ameen Gandapur. The Pakistan government sealed the city and detained almost 870 protestors. Only a handful number of people were able to reach D-Chowk after which clashes ensued between the police and Imran Khan supporters.
On this the Afghan Taliban issued a statement calling on Pakistan to hold dialogue with protestors. It also said that it monitoring the situation. Without an iota of doubt, Taliban raising concern over harsh treatment of protests is itself an irony but Pakistan getting schooled by a Terrorist regime over democratic values is no less than an epic unvieling of Islamabad’s slough.
Nevertheless, the foreign office spokesperson of Pakistan Mumtaz Zehra Baloch called it unacceptable and deplorable interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. “Instead of lecturing a democratic country, the AIG should focus on fixing its own domestic problems; prioritise inclusivity; and be responsive to needs and aspirations of its own people including the right to education for women and girls rather than curtailing their rights,” the spokesperson said.
This cat fight is even more interesting given that Pakistan was the most happy country after Taliban takeover and the first country to consider recognising Taliban as legitimate regime.
Whats happening in KPK?
Notably, Pakistan’s politics became hot after Imran Khan was stripped off from the govt and Shehbaz Sharif assumed power. May 9 violence and strengthening popular support behind Imran Khan led people to believe that they do not elect the govt, the army choses it instead.
Later, before the elections, PTI was banned and its candidates contested as independent. Pak Army managed to install its current favourite to power by rigging elections but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI is based, the party managed to form the govt under Ali Amin Gandapur.
Since past few months, Gandapur is trying to rally support behind Imran and pressurise the govt to release him. On recent march to Islamabad, Gandapur joined the karch in Islamabad on Saturday and gave a ferocious speech and diaappeared. On next day, he was found in KPK House in Islamabad.
This is the second time such an incident has happened. Earlier on September 8, the first march was held to Islamabad. Back then, Gandapur addressed the rally and said that if Khan was not released, he along with his supporters will get him released any how. He then disappeared but came in public after days. He stated that he was busy in meetings and because of cell phone jammers, he was unreachable.
The protests have took PTI supporters and law enforcement against each other. Senior Islamabad Police official said that the rally was an attempt to sabotage the SCO meeting to be held in Islamabad.
Whats in for Taliban?
The Taliban-Pakistan bonne homie got bitter after Taliban changed its stance towards Pakistan. Pakistan, as well known, was favouring Taliban because it saw the terrorist organisation as its protege. It thought that Taliban’s return will give a new boost to its terror industry in both ways providing backyard and control over Afghan resources. However, this time Taliban’s intension were different. It not only denied Pakistan any support for spreading terror in South Asia, it also confronted Islamabad on Durand line. Moreover, it’s alleged support to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) also became a bone of contention between Pak and Taliban.
Pakistan had thought that all these issues will be sorted for good, but the Paki dreams shattered. Resorting to coercive measures, Pak closed Chaman and other border crossing and made passport mandatory for small cross border traders, thinking that it will turn the tables.
However, Pashtuns in Pakistan were harmed more as they used to cross border with a slip called Tazkira for a day and earned money through trade. Pashtuns benefitted from it as they had eyhnic ties woth Afghans. This new passport imposition led to massive protests along Durand line in Balochistan and KPK.
Taliban’s latest comments are nothing more than a way to cultivate an anti-Pakistan tendency in the minds of Pashtuns. However, what both Taliban and Pakistan are doing is just a dream that is hard to come true because prominent Pashtun organisations like PTM, which represent a larger masses have time and again condemned both Taliban and Pakistan for betraying KPK and making their lives living hell.
