ISLAMABAD   -   As the specter of a bloody confrontation between law enforcement agencies and supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik looms large, an unusual meeting was called late Friday night by senior government figures in Islamabad. The timing and urgency of the meeting, which included senior security officials and cabinet ministers, suggested the gravity of the situation confronting the country as thousands of Tehreek-e-Labbaik supporters, some of them armed, are charging towards the capital, defying calls to peacefully end the protest and showing little interest in negotiations.

Two important messages were conveyed to a select group of media network owners, talk show hosts, and journalists. First: The armed groups will not be allowed to challenge the writ of the state. Enough is enough. Second: There is no civil-military divide in the country.

A senior security official told the participants that there was no truth in speculations by certain quarters that the recent protest was orchestrated by any internal intelligence agency.

“This is a lie,” the senior security officer said, candidly opening up about rumors that the ongoing protest was meant to either destabilize the political government at the behest of the permanent establishment or were intended to revoke the notification about the top spy agency. “ We hear such theories and laugh them off,” the senior security official said. 

The official said the Tehreek Labbaik was using religion and emotionally charged slogans to rouse the public but their real intent was politics through violence and subjugation of the state. The Labbaik leadership is not willing to engage in meaningful negotiation and instead wants to impose their demands through the use of force. “The state cannot allow a situation where a group starts to make demands by constantly grabbing its neck,” the senior official said.

The protest is exacting a high toll. It has paralyzed life in several cities, choked supply lines to the country’s north and even food supplies meant for Afghanistan via the Torkham border have come to a standstill. Four policemen lost their lives and 114 are wounded, at least ten of them critically, due to the violent clashes.

The official acknowledged that the district and police administrations lacked the wherewithal to control such a large, violent mob and have always failed to stop Labbaik advances in the past. It has been no different this time. But now the situation was fast moving towards a head-on collision as Punjab Rangers, the paramilitary troops, have taken position and will not allow Labbaik to move past Wazirabad.

Officials say that the Rangers will have no option but to shoot back if someone in the crowd opens fire, contrary to the earlier face-offs with the police, which was unarmed and equipped only with riot gear.

The concern is high about any such possibility as the senior leadership is aware of the consequences of a violent confrontation between the Rangers, which falls under the military’s chain of command, and the Labbaik crowd.

“When the military and a mob come face to face, it ruins everything,” the senior security official said, alluding to examples from several other countries where a collision between the state and violent mobs has resulted in devastating fallouts.

The senior official also expressed concern that given the weak domestic security landscape, any other external player and hostile intelligence agencies can try to exploit the situation. “Some hidden hands can try that a large segment of the Barelvis is made to fight with the army,” the official said.

Given the highly combustible situation, officials say the government is treading on eggshells and has not closed the doors of talks and negotiations.

“I have given them the last chance,” the senior official said, adding that demands that fall within the legal purview and constitution of the country are open to discussion.

“A crackdown would be the last resort,” he said.