Pakistan is in real trouble

We all know about the outing by lawfare of Imran Khan (IK) as I’ve done regular updates in the Daily Chronicles.

Pakistan is a critical node on the Belt and Road and a critical country for security against terrorism around Afghanistan.  The internal issue is simple.  IK is the most popular leader in Pakistan, although he may not be the most effective and can be criticised.  After the coup government removed him by lawfare, they refused to call for another election.  IK holds 70% of the votes in the country.  So, it is clear that the people, the majority, prefer IK as the leader.

Two weeks ago, the unelected Pakistan government re-arrested IK, (actually while he was in court, the military broke the court windows and dragged him out of court and put him in another jail) and major riots broke out.  The only way that Pakistan could contain what was shaping up to be a violent revolution, was to release IK from jail on bond. The police forces or the military are still surrounding his house, wanting to search it for ‘terrorists’.

We pick up from there:

AHH and I had an ongoing debate in the Hearty Salon on this thread and we have different positions.  https://sovereignista.com/globalsouthforum/topic/the-hearty-salon-15-05-2023-open-thread/#post-13897

There are interesting discussions on that Hearty Salon thread, including on the religious issues around IK. The major overarching differentiation is that I approach the issue of Pakistan from a geopolitical perspective and AHH approaches it from an internal political perspective. Both are valid.

The main point is that we are looking at a country that is threatening to burst out again in a violent revolution.  The latest is that the Pakistani military wants to bring the rioters to stand trial (calling them ‘arsonists’). under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act.  That is very unhealthy and contrary to international law to try civilians in military courts.  In the meantime, they are concocting various cases against IK, even at times when he was in jail and could not possibly have done what amounts to up to 40 charges in one day. These accusations are above the pale and above the limit of what one person possibly could have achieved even if he was criminal.

Ben Norton had this to say:

Pakistan’s unelected, Western-backed coup regime is now threatening to try civilians in military courts, as it seeks to crush protests that support overthrown PM Imran Khan.

This desperate move shows who is really in power: the army (with US support).https://t.co/UVOXtnYOOb

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) May 18, 2023

And Richard Medhurst is almost overcome with the absurdity of IK’s situation and the position of Pakistan.  Note the proof that IK says he has that this is a western-backed destabilization.

I call a slo-mo western-backed coup and the first reason is the terrorist clean-up being done by the bordering countries under the leadership of Russia and China.  We may debate on different aspects of IM’s leadership, but he is the most popular by far in Pakistan, and we cannot for example talk about Peru or Ecuador, both under unelected coup governments supported by the collective west, and not support IK as his people do.   Nobody in the Global South benefits from this.  Let the Pakistanis vote him out if they feel that way. All he asked for, is a new election. But, the current coup government do not want a new election, because they know they will lose. Hence the manufacturing of charges against IK to try and disqualify him on any grounds. The slo-mo is similar to the charges against Trump (not that I carry water for him in any way whatsoever.  I simply recognize the process).

What is also clear is that while the Pakistani military allowed a civil government to take office, it is still a military junta. And who works well with military juntas?. I don’t have to answer my own question as everyone here would know.

The case against IK is a western-backed coup. The signs are clear. It is almost devastating for the bordering countries.