Published 17:10 IST, November 19th 2019
4 unquestionable indicators that there's an 'Azadi wave' in Pakistan
With Pakistan's Gen Qamar Bajwa's military standing firmly behind Imran Khan, the Opposition of the country united to oust the "puppet" Prime Minister.
With Pakistan's Gen Qamar Bajwa's military standing firmly behind Imran Khan, the Opposition of the country united to oust the "puppet" Prime Minister. Major traffic roads remained blocked by 'Azadi March' protesters demanding resignation from Imran Khan. While Imran Khan called the massive protest march a 'circus' in Islamabad, the wave of Azadi has gripped the nation.
PoK protests
In October, various political parties under the umbrella of the All Independent Parties Alliance (AIPA) had called for a pro-freedom (Azadi) rally in PoK's Muzaffarabad to observe "black day."
Protesters staged a massive demonstration to mark the 72nd year of the Invasion Day, the day Pakistani forces invaded Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. October 22 is seen as a "black day" for PoK and Gilgit Baltistan. The Police had also injured journalists as they raided a press club in Muzaffarabad. Along with PoK, even the resource-rich province of Pakistan, Balochistan has been protesting against their establishment, over police atrocities.
Netas seeking asylum
Pakistani leader and founder of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) party in Pakistan Altaf Hussain requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide asylum to him in India. In his speech that has surfaced on social media, Hussain can be heard shouting and urging India for financial assistance to take his case to the International Courts.
"If India today, and Prime Minister Modi, allow me to come to India and provided me asylum with my colleagues, I am ready to come to India along with my colleagues because my grandfather is buried there, my grandmother is buried there; my thousands of relatives are buried there, in India. I want to go there, to their graves. I want to pray," said Hussain.
JNU-style video
Similar to JNU, the chants of 'Azadi' could be seen now reverberating in Lahore, with students chanting the slogan at the Faiz Literary Festival this week. In multiple videos that have now gained momentum on social media, students from Pakistan are seen demanding 'Azadi' from the Imran Khan government, the Pakistan Pakistan Police brutality, patriarchy and corruption in the country amongst others.
Pakistan students are scheduled to hold a solidarity march on November 29 against the Pakistani government, as widespread protests against Imran Khan have already overpowered the country. The protests led by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) party led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman have demanded the ousting of the "puppet" Prime Minister, over the charges of rigging elections and being installed by Pakistan's General Qamar Bajwa's military.
Minority unrest
The minorities in Pakistan are often threatened by the country's contentious blasphemy law and incidences of forced conversions. According to reports, the minority population has drastically dwindled since 1947. The minority communities in Pakistan--Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Baloch, Pashtuns, and others have been the recipient of atrocities in the hands of Pakistan military establishment.
Updated 17:18 IST, November 19th 2019