News Analysis |
Former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif expressed his indignation over how the Faizabad sit-in came to an end. The disqualified lawmaker and current chief of the ruling PML-N lamented on how the government succumbed to a handful of protestors, giving a bad image to the country internationally.
Nawaz made these remarks in a party huddle on Tuesday after appearing in the accountability court. He expressed his unhappiness over the terms and language of the agreement between the government and the Tehreek-Labaik (TL).
According to party insiders, Nawaz was unhappy with the optics going out from the seemingly easy surrender. One leader quoted Nawaz as saying: “For the past four years, we have been telling the world that there has been a considerable decline in religious extremism in the country. Now, they have received the message that we are actually protecting religious extremism.”
Nawaz said that the deal gives all the wrong signals to Beijing, Washington and other world capitals. While it is important to stress as to how the government dithered in dealing with the protestors, it is also noteworthy to mention that the inefficient conduct of the operation turned the event into a civil-military issue.
Furthermore, Nawaz while talking to the interior minister, Ahsan Iqbal showed concerned about how and why protestors used firearms. After being briefed on the situation, Nawaz said that the government must be told as to how the protestors were facilitated and by whom. Also, the beleaguered former lawmaker said that a probe must be made on how the agreement that contained laudatory references for the protestors and the army was drafted.
Read more: Protestors finally Leave Islamabad under an agreement
The amicable end of the sit-in is being analyzed differently by experts and commentators. Some are of the opinion that the army averted bloodshed and further turmoil. However, many are of the opinion that the state buckled under pressure exerted from a mob. The latter school of thought asserts that at a time when efforts are being made to project the narrative that Pakistan is effectively targeting extremism and terrorism, the agreement is the last thing that the world should see.
According to sources, Nawaz said that the deal gives all the wrong signals to Beijing, Washington and other world capitals. While it is important to stress as to how the government dithered in dealing with the protestors, it is also noteworthy to mention that the inefficient conduct of the operation turned the event into a civil-military issue.
Nawaz was unhappy with the optics going out from the seemingly easy surrender. One leader quoted Nawaz as saying: “For the past four years, we have been telling the world that there has been a considerable decline in religious extremism in the country.
Watchers are berating the government for creating the conditions for the army to interfere in the sit-in. However, a cross-section of the media is blaming the army for overstepping its constitutional limits. It is imperative to mention that the army was called in under Article 245 of the constitution. While there is an argument on who emerged as the victor in the crisis, there is unanimity in the fact that the lopsided agreement is a great boost to Khadim Hussain Rizvi and his firebrand followers. There is a great deal of concern on how a bad precedent has been set regarding how the state deals with a group of protestors.
Read more: Protestors finally Leave Islamabad under an agreement
Analysts warn against giving radical elements leeway and space before they become too difficult to handle.