LAHORE - Civilian intelligence agencies are preparing ‘Pulse Reports’ to gauge the public feelings over the issues of Panama leaks and load shedding in particular and other matters in general to assess the possible impact of opposition’s upcoming anti-government drive, highly-placed officials told The Nation yesterday.
Opposition parties are working on launching an anti-government drive after Eid over the issue of Panama leaks ToRs. The two major opposition parties, PTI and PPP have announced launching campaigns against the government over Panama Papers revelations which at a later stage would include the load shedding and other issues to the agenda list.
Field surveys have been launched to gauge the public mood over the issues of Panama leaks and load shedding in particular and other matters in general to assess the possible impacts of opposition’s upcoming anti-government drive to suggest the ruling party a bailout plan in the form of Pulse Reports, revealed the highly-placed officials.
The survey exercise to prepare Pulse Reports is focusing Punjab followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan has a minor role in this exercise. The main thrust of the exercise is on the districts falling in central and southern Punjab, added the officials.
Internal wings of the civilian intelligence services are carrying out the exercise covering the business community, farmers, lawyers, doctors, trade unions, student organizations, markets and transporters’ unions, public, private sector organizations and others.
The surveys will also include inputs of all major programmes, debates, public meetings, seminars and sittings held to ignite public discussion on the issue of Panama leaks and load shedding, disclosed the officials.
Apart from preparing Pulse Reports, the civilian agencies are also gathering information about the possible mass of the opposition parties’ anti-government drive after Eid.
Information has also been collected about the possible financers of the opposition parties who would feed the upcoming anti-government campaign.
The agencies are also trying to collect the information about the possibilities of joining hands of PTI and PPP, the two major opposition parties for a joint move against the government.
The situation after possible alliance of the two major political parties will also be gauged, added the officials while disclosing more details.
Information has also been gathered about the role of religious parties including the JI which is an ally of the PTI in PK government. The JI had already launched a drive to purge the country of corruption but how it would supplement the PTI campaign or continues its drive separately.
The mass of other religious groups including the Brailvi amalgam Sunni Ittehad Council and Shia’s Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen to support the opposition’s anti-government drive is also included in the information gathering list by the civilian agencies, revealed the officials.
After gathering the Pulse Reports and other information about the opposition’s anti-government drive, the agencies will also pen down their assessments about the possibilities of opposition’s upcoming buildup turning into a Pakistan National Alliance-like movement, they added.
Pakistan National Movement (PNA) of the opposition parties as a result of the 1977-massive campaign toppled Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government and led to the events of General Zia’s martial law.
Opposition parties though say that they don’t want to bring down PML-N-led government but they claim, the upcoming drive against the government by the likeminded parties could turn into a PNA-like movement.