Maryam Nawaz challenges Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pak Army

Karachi: – The foundations of the Prime Minister, Imran Khan and military have been rocked, given the protests launched jointly, by the opposition parties. Maryam Nawaz, the leader of the protests, attacked Prime Minister Imran and the Pakistan military and posed a challenge saying ‘Arrest me if you have the courage’. At the same time, Maryam Nawaz warned that the rebellion of the Pakistan military, like in 1977 and 1999, will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, senior police officials from Sindh province have denounced the action against protestors and have accused that the military is abducting police officers.

The protests started by the ‘Pakistan Democratic Movement’ (PDM), against the Imran Khan government, from the Punjab province, intensified in the city of Karachi, in the Sindh province. Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and vice-President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, showered heavy criticism on the Pakistan government and army chief General Bajwa. Maryam accused that Prime Minister Imran Khan is a coward and hides behind the military to save his skin. While Maryam Nawaz in attacking the Pakistan government, her husband and former military official, Captain Muhammad Safdar was arrested from a Karachi Hotel.

It was claimed that the Sindh police took this action. But as per information revealed in the Pakistan media, the Rangers unit in the Pakistan military abducted the police chief of Karachi and forced him to arrest Captain Safdar. Senior police officers from Karachi even accused that the Imran government and Pakistan military, feeling the pressure of the protests in Karachi, are misusing the Sindh police force, to arrest the protestors and their leaders. AIG Imran Yaqoob and a few other senior officials of the Sindh police have denounced these forced actions, in strong words.

Maryam Nawaz launched scathing attacks on Imran Khan and Pakistan military following the action against Captain Safdar. Maryam Nawaz warned ‘Instead of taking actions against my family, arrest me if you have the guts. The Sharif family and the population of Pakistan, supporting them, will not bow in front of the threats issued by the Imran Khan government and the senior officials from the Pakistan military.’ Maryam also accused that Pakistan army chief General Bajwa also has been blinded by power, just like former dictator Parvez Musharraf. Maryam lashed out that this time, the Pakistan population is not going to tolerate a military rebellion similar to 1977 and 1999.

The protestors gave slogans against General Bajwa during the protests in Karachi. The protestors even used bad words against General Bajwa. The Pakistani media have taken cognisance of the protests against the Pakistan army chief and have expressed concerns that this is the first time, protests are being held against the Pakistan military chief and the military.

Meanwhile, Pashtun group leader from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Mohsin Dawar and Baluchistan party chief Akhtar Mengal also participated in the Karachi protests. Both these leaders targeted the Pakistan military. Mohsin Dawar accused that the power in Pakistan is concentrated in the hands of the military and the military is running the government. Whereas, Mengal criticised that Pakistan has been created for the Pakistan military and not for the people of Pakistan.