Needless to emphasize that where Pakistan stands today is a cumulative result of dirty politics bereft of sanity and morality. Certain foreign powers have also played a role in fomenting political instability, regime changes and even jeopardizing strategic, political and economic interests of the country with the collusion of unscrupulous internal elements.
The hapless masses have been made to bear the brunt of the shenanigans of the politicians and the military dictators. Both the politicians and military dictators instead of working for the welfare of the people invariably focused on ways and means to prolong their power stints sometimes even seeking help from the foreign powers. It made their loyalty to the country questionable which in other words meant their actions were anti-Pakistan.
Perhaps an example that can be cited in this regard is the ‘memo gate’ scandal in 2011-12 during the PPP regime according to which the then Pakistani ambassador to USA Hussain Haqqani allegedly delivered a letter to US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen seeking help for the civilian government against Pakistan military owing to the situation that had developed in the backdrop of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Justice Qazi Faiz Isa who headed the judicial commission to probe into the matter found Hussain Haqqani guilty of having authored the letter concluding that he was not loyal to the country. It was a landmark decision by the judicial commission which unequivocally declared seeking intervention of a foreign power as an anti-Pakistan move.
The country is faced with a similar situation at present. A political party is not only inviting foreign intervention in the affairs of the country but is also engaged in a sustained campaign to propagate human rights violations in the backdrop of the 9th May incident.
Reportedly PTI’s US chapter is campaigning for linking Washington’s military aid to Pakistan to the human rights situation. Sajid Burki a focal person of PTI for USA met US congressman Greg Casar along with another party member Atif Khan and requested him to play his part in bringing a resolution against the human rights violations in Pakistan telling him that 86 members of the US Congress had signed PTI’s petition. The senator pledged his support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan adding that he was co-sponsoring a bill to the military aid to human rights conditions in the country. It is pertinent to point out that a campaign by Pakistani-American Political Action Committee (PAKPAC) also led to more than US Congressmen approaching US Secretary Antony Blinken to pressurize the Pakistan government to improve the human rights situation in the country. A rally organized by PTI outside the White House also appealed to President Biden to refrain from engaging with Pakistan.
A few days back Imran Khan in a video chat with US Congresswoman Maxine Moore Waters emphasized that Pakistan was facing an immensely challenging situation and it was the most difficult period in the history of the nation. Shifting the blame for attacks on military installations on the military establishment and intelligence agencies he insisted that these institutions wielded significant power within Pakistan. He pleaded with her to support him and raise her voice in his favour.
It is noteworthy that in the aftermath of the 9th May episode that necessitated the arrest of those involved in attacks on military installations the party leadership and its social media warriors have changed their strategy and decided to stoke the issue into a human rights situation. The crimes against the state are dealt with a heavy hand. The punishments awarded to attackers of Capitol Hill testify to this reality.
One may ask those who are showing concern about the alleged human rights violations in Pakistan where were they when the opposition leaders were incarcerated based on fake cases against them?