Pakistan’s history of conspiracy politics seems to go on and on. Although it has paid what is possibly the biggest price for any state-sponsored conspiracy flops – the 1971 war – its appetite for political conspiracy goes on. And in each of them, the army seems to be involved. Given the current critical phase with ex-PM Imran Khan naming the current PM, the Interior Minister, and a senior Intelligence official as the trio who planned to kill him but failed, things have worsened. Conspirators rule the roost including Imran Khan.
Imran was hit by bullets but has said that he survived because he fell down and the would-be killers thought he was dead. One person died and several were injured and Imran continues his political war from his hospital bed. He has asked his followers to continue their protests and Pakistan is under severe stress and unrest.
The “typing error” conspiracy state
In many ways, Pakistan is a product of conspiracy. The Lahore Resolution of 1940 which specifically spoke of “two states”, was amended by Jinnah arguing that the “two states” was a “typing error”. Jinnah’s act was more of a historical error resulting from political conspiracy. Jinnah’s Pakistan lasted only 25 years and though Bangladesh paid for it with blood, Pakistan paid with the ignominy of losing its half and its army’s humiliating surrender to arch-enemy India.
Read: Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan wounded in firing at anti-govt rally
In 1954, the elected government of East Pakistan was removed through a false accusation that the leaders were planning secession. In 1958, the army directly took over fully and destroyed whatever hope there was of one state. In 1968, it tried to stop the 6-points autonomy movement by falsely involving Sk. Mujib in the Agartala conspiracy case.
In 1969, the army moved in again and after the election of 1970 refused to hand over power to the elected party and instead offered the night of March 25. And the civilian politician Z.A. Bhutto was part of it too.
Post-1971
One would have thought the army had learned its lesson but the Bhutto hanging, the Gen. Zia plane blow-up, the various attempts on the lives of various leaders and the killing of Benazir Bhutto shows that a tradition of violent conspiracy has been established. Pakistan politics is about conspiracies and usually, the military is a player, directly or indirectly.
Read: Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan stable after shooting at anti-govt rally
Imran Khan himself is a product of the military in politics. He was replaced by Shehbaz as the ex-cricket captain no longer suited them. Now barred from holding office, he has taken to the street invoking the example of 1970 in East Pakistan which effectively ended Pakistan.
The Dawn writes in its editorial, “By going public with them ( accusations ), Mr. Khan has taken a step that he may find impossible to reverse. It seems highly unlikely that Shehbaz Sharif or Rana Sanaullah will step down on Mr. Khan’s demands, and it is improbable that the military will be interested at this time in removing a top official merely on his complaint. .. the acrimony between the state and the PTI will continue to grow. “
It goes on to blame the bungled management of the case by the Punjab police and “conflicting statements from the centre and Punjab have all added to the confusion and fuelled conspiracy theories.”
Read More: Imran Khan accuses Pak army of recreating 1971-like situation
Meanwhile, the army has called the allegations baseless and condemned Imran Khan. But that hardly matters. It has become embroiled in a crisis that may/can only end through more conspiracy and violence. The only option for Imran is the street, the only for the rest is to intern him, and for Pakistan more chaos. It’s the people who remain prisoners in the hands of its army and politicians that pay the price.