ISLAMABAD - Is Islamabad a port city? This question is now often being asked by the foreigners especially during a ride from the Airport to the diplomatic area.
Since the federal capital has been witnessing protesting rallies of political factions with intervals, the law enforcement agencies have presumably placed some of the containers permanently at different areas to avoid an ocean of protesting people near the constitutional area leading towards politically famous D-Chowk. So, the foreigners, watching these containers, get confused as normally the containers are seen near the coastal areas of port cities.
The term ‘Politics of container’ was first coined during PTI’s longest sit-in [126 days] but later the politicians have started using it against each other to criticize the political protests.
The country, these days, is once again facing an intense political turmoil as the opposition party [PTI] has geared up for ‘Do-or-Die’ protests on the call of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is apparently another attempt to make grounds to release their leader, as otherwise they claimed to continue their ‘peaceful’ protest.
“The Constitution gives us the right to peaceful protest, and we will not surrender under any circumstances,” PTI Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram, in a media talk conveyed his message.
On the other hand, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has clearly informed the party chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan that sit-in or protest will not be allowed in the city in the light of Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order.
In order to avoid entry of protestors in the federal capital, almost all the roads leading towards the city have been closed. Moreover,to avoid the possible arrival of PTI’s protestors some Motorways have also been closed for this purpose.
Recently, the beacon of hope was also seen in PTI’s camp over Trump’s triumph as some of the opposition party members in their private meeting were seen expecting the US President’s intervention in Pakistan’s internal matters.
“Will Trump play a role in releasing the former prime minister?” This question was frequently being asked from the political czars, as the PTI members seemed overjoyed over the victory.
Linking this opposition party protest starting from today [24 November], some of the political observers viewed that it would be an attempt to make grounds for the release of jailed leader as they seek help from powerful country on human rights grounds.
The PTI’s members , in their previous protest shows, could not make grounds to compel anyone to bring on negotiation. Senior politicians from the ruling party have categorically claimed that there was no negotiation [Backdoor or open] with PTI. In the current scenario, there is also some gossip about backdoor channels about the possibility of making grounds for extradition, but it was ruled out.
Political pundits viewed that this protest will not make any big change in the country. But, Pakistan will continue to lurch from one to the next till the release order of the former prime minister.
According to the reports, PTI’s repeated protests since July had cost the national kitty a whopping Rs1.11 billion . It is hard to assess how much the national exchequer will continue to bear in terms of political unrest in the country.