Islamabad, Pakistan: Since July 13, 2024, the citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been facing a chaotic situation as the Faizabad Interchange that connects the capital city of Islamabad with Rawalpindi is ruled by an unruly mob once again like in November 2017 when Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) disconnected Rawalpindi from Islamabad. Once again TLP has installed another dharna (sit-in).
The last one was against the French government and the new one was against the Israeli government. Â Strangely, neither the Punjab government nor the federal government have responded to this new dharna with negotiations or administrative action. This silence surely transmits wrong messages to the public. A common man who is facing the brunt of this new dharna could think that the state is too weak to take administrative action against the mob or dharna is here with an understanding with the government or again someone powerful like before is behind this dharna therefore the government is following the policy of restraint. How did Pakistan take the risk of such a large gathering in the most sensitive month of Muharram which had a history of terror/suicide attacks in the past? Already there had been two terror attacks in 24 hours in KP resulting in the death of innocent civilians and martyrdom of 10 men in uniform. Available information suggests that neither the government nor any intelligence agency is behind this dharna and the government is following the policy of restraint to avoid any violence in Rawalpindi/Islamabad because most of the participants of the dharna have weapons and sticks and are on the verge of disrupting the peace and order of the city. The group has called on the government to declare Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu a terrorist, boycott Israeli products, and send food and medical aid to the Palestinian people.
What is surprising in this situation is that the leadership of this group is unaware of all the measures that the current government, Pakistan Army, and other local welfare organizations have taken and are continuing to do for the oppressed Palestinians. The whole world is aware of the fact that the government of Pakistan has neither recognized the illegitimate state of Israel nor established any kind of commercial, cultural, or social relations on this basis since the establishment of Pakistan till today.
The Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Army Chief, and the Corps Commander Conference repeatedly condemned the Israeli occupation and Genocide in the strongest terms and expressed solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians. For ready reference, one should remember that on 7 October 2023, March 1 and 8 March, and 11 May 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with the Palestinians in press briefings while the meeting of the Army Chief with the Palestinian Ambassador was held on 24 October 2023 and Chief of Pakistan Army during his meet with Imam Kaaba raised the same issue and strongly condemned Israel and its prime minister calling brutality in Palestine as Genocide. Moreover, several times (October 20 and November 7, 2023, 1 and 13 January 2024, 4, 6, and 25 February 2024 and 21 April 2024 ) Government of Pakistan, the Pakistan Army, and NDMA sent relief supplies to Palestine by C-130 and were greatly appreciated by the Palestinian government and people.
In the context of the above facts, it becomes clear that no intelligence agency has anything to do with this group or is behind this dharna but this group only wants to fulfill its agenda against the state of Pakistan under the guise of the situation in Palestine and the group is armed with weapons and baton bearers. Government sources are confirming that the state is fully aware of these intentions and that no nefarious elements will be allowed to take the law into their hands and such elements will be dealt with strictly.
