From a security point of view, people of Pakistan, being members of a patriotic nation, are facing unprecedented events, trends, transformations and challenges these days. Some South Asian nations like Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh and Southeast Asian country Burma (Myanmar) are trying to transform themselves into stable democratic nations. On the other hand, Pakistan’s neighbouring India is posing challenges and threats to all regional nations, and proving to be an open danger to the smaller countries.
The neighbouring country is posing a very different form of challenge to Pakistan and its security, be it geopolitical influence or proxy terrorism attacks. It has engaged in a proxy war with Pakistan, though it is destined to fail eventually, yet the prevailing situation is of a different kind, as the enemy has launched its representatives within the country.
Pakistan, time and again, has presented several dossiers containing irrefutable proofs of the Indian-sponsored destabilisation and terrorism incidents in the country, and called on the world nations to stop its rogue actions for preserving region’s peace and security. On May 9, 2023, workers of a political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) started violent protests across the country and ransacked public and private properties, after the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.
Defence Analyst Lt-General (retd) Naeem Khalid Lodhi told APP that the current protests and political destabilisation in the country are exhibiting the signals of foreign masters. However, it is a good omen that the nation has rejected such puppets by standing in solidarity with the Pakistan Army and its martyrs, acknowledging their sacrifices. “Pakistan is our motherland and we will never allow any kind of chaos or instability or disorder here at the behest of our cunning, local or foreign, enemy,” he resolved.
Burning of the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence (Jinnah House), military memorials, and the public and private properties are unfortunate incidents and the nation has condemned and rejected all forms of violence and attempts to disrupt peace in the country.
“This is an unforgettable moment that the nation is expressing solidarity with its brave armed forces and paying tribute and salute to the sacrifices of its armed forces,” he added.
Noted analyst Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz said that the well-aware nation would thwart the evil plans of the enemy with the help of the Pakistan Army. The agenda of anti-state forces would not be allowed to materialise in Pakistan, he added.
Haris Nawaz noted that the safe and secure Pakistan where people are living peacefully is only because of the sacrifices of our martyrs. “I always share that these martyrs and Ghazi are our real heroes. Those nations who forget their martyrs perish soon,” he expressed his belief. He said the country owes its peace and harmony to the endless and unparalleled sacrifices of the Pakistan Army, adding that the brave army is the protector of country’s borders and defender of the beloved motherland.
PPP leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari, in his recent statement, said that after the arrest of Imran Khan, eruption of riots in the cities was regrettable and shameful. He said he was in jail for 14 years, but never allowed party workers to take the law into their hands. “The acts of harming public property and spreading chaos will not be tolerated,” Zardari warned.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb strongly condemned the mob attacks on the building and offices of the state-run Radio Pakistan and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) in Peshawar. “The attack on the offices of Radio Pakistan and APP by PTI’s armed gangs was condemnable and deplorable,” she said in a message, issued by her office.
The minister said that following the pattern of a similar attack on PTV headquarters in 2014 allegedly on Imran Khan’s instructions, the PTI workers attacked Radio Pakistan and APP buildings now. She said that violence against the government employees, vandalism and damage to property were the acts of terrorism.
Mohsin Khan, a retired army personnel, said that the entire nation stands by its brave armed forces. He demanded the government take strict action against those who torched public properties, including those belonging to the military.
Mohsin said if any institution was trying to bring the PTI back to power would also be held accountable, and blamed Imran Khan’s government for not delivering a single development project in the past three-and-a-half years. During the attack on Radio Pakistan’s building in Peshawar on May 10, the miscreants torched around 1500-2000 valuable and masterpieces of literary books of renowned Sufi Poet Rehman Baba and freedom fighter Khushal Khan Khattak.
A spokesperson for the Punjab police said that so far a total of 697 miscreants had been arrested in the provincial metropolis and 38 FIRs [first information reports] are registered against the perpetrators belonging to the PTI at various police stations. He said that arrested rioters were involved in attacks on sensitive installations, police force, vehicles of the law-enforcement agencies, and private buildings and cars of citizens on May 9. As many as 162 senior and junior police officials were injured in the attacks, carried out by the charged PTI mob in Lahore and other parts of the province, he added.
He said that legal action was being taken against people who destroyed and set ablaze private and government property, vehicles and tortured citizens. He said the miscreants set on fire 22 police vehicles during attacks in Lahore.
Meanwhile, rallies are being taken out across the country to express solidarity with the Pakistan armed forces. Seminars are also being organised in this regard by a large number of ulema, community leaders, journalists, lawyers, intellectuals, civil society figures, noted personalities and leaders belonging to different religions, across the country.
Tributes are being paid to the officers and soldiers of the Pak Army. While addressing the rallies, the speakers strongly condemned defamation of the Pakistan Army by the leaders and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. APP