The tough resistance put up by the protestors of three religious parties Tehrik-i- Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, (TKN), Tehrik-i- Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY), and Sunni Tehrik (ST) at Faizabad Interchange and the ensuing blowback, compelled the federal government to suspend the operation to end their three weeks long sit-in. Roughly 8,500 Elite Police and paramilitary troops in riot gear took part in the clearance operation but could not disperse the protestors numbering hardly 2000. Six people were killed and 170 injured in the clearance operation and protest demonstrations.
The PML-N leadership at the centre and Punjab government mishandled the protest of religious parties ignited by the deliberate amendments to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath camouflaged in election Act 2017 to pave the way for Nawaz Sharif to become party president. The Punjab government allowed the protest rally to come all the way from Lahore to Faizabad and lay siege to the Capital city, Islamabad. What were the political motives behind this delaying tactics? Was there any motive of deriving political mileage? Did Captain Safdar (R), son-in- law of Nawaz Sharif give this statement out of humor or it was a serious note that he would join the Faizabad sit-in if invited?
The Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal regularly change his stance viz-a-viz this problem. At one time, he clamed this Dharma is trap set for the government to land in it. The protestors want action replay of Model Town. Afterwards he changed his stance and said it is conspiracy against PML-N to deprive it of the vote bank of Baralvi School of thought. But after launching clearance operation, the Interior Minister said on Saturday that the protesters had contacted India. He said,” Why they did it, we are looking into it. They have insider information and resources that are being used against the state” What does this conspiracy theory signify? Is it not the state of utter confusion in the federal government? Is Interior Minister serving the mouthpiece of the disqualified PM?
At this critical moment a sagacious and dynamic leadership is missing. The Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is not performing the leadership role. He has preferred to stay in the background and let his disqualified predecessor, Nawaz Sharif to call shots. Does this have a rationale to create a political and administrative vacuumed for someone’s personal aggrandizement? The Prime Minister and top leadership PML-N had a meeting in Jati Umra Raowan, which presided over by the party chief Nawaz Sharif to weigh different options with the demands put forward of TLY. Their main demand is sacking on the Law Minister Shahid Hamid. According to a source in the party, the Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal briefed Nawaz Sharif about the government plan to end the sit-in by TLYRA at Faizabad through use of force. Punjab Chief Minister Shabaz Sharif also told the party chief about the arrangements his government has made in Punjab to handle any untoward situation in the wake of Police operation. Chairing a law and order meeting in the backdrop of violent protest demonstrations across the country by a disqualified person instead of Chief Executive of the country is synonymous with situation of disarrayed “Khalsa Darbar” in mid 19th century. It would have been appropriate if this very important meeting has been chaired by the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in Islamabad in attendance with the Chief Ministers of all provinces and all members of federal cabinet along with high officials of the federal and provincial governments. This utter chaos can be dealt through dialogues if the federal government is seriously interested in solving the problem that they have created in the first place.
