The arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has caused political unrest throughout the country, with supporters of the ousted Prime Minister protesting in the streets. The situation has become increasingly tense, with the deployment of troops in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan to control the protests. The same troops, now being deployed to “control” civilian protestors, were deemed too busy to be deployed for elections.
According to reports, security forces have subjected protestors to violence, with several protestors being critically injured and at least 34 being killed. Police have also arrested hundreds of PTI supporters for their involvement in protests throughout the country.
While the government claims that Imran Khan’s arrest is related to corruption charges, many people believe that it is a politically motivated move to suppress the opposition. The situation has become so dire that Pakistan Telecom Authority has shut down Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, while many parts of the country have been cut off from the internet.
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This situation is indicative of a complete de facto martial law in Pakistan. The handlers in charge do not seem to have any regard for law and order, the constitution, or human life. The government and establishment of Pakistan have been criticized by several human rights activists and US Congressmen for letting the situation escalate to this point.
Experts believe that the situation could have been prevented if free and fair elections had been held. Instead, there have been reports that non-PTI workers have joined the protests to vilify the protestors and ultimately ban the PTI before the next election.
The court has now approved NAB’s request for Imran Khan’s eight day remand, adding to the uncertainty of the situation. The country remains in lockdown, with offices and educational institutes shut down.