Crescent International
The November 3 assassination attempt on Imran Khan may be the last straw that will push Pakistan over the brink.
Hit with four bullets in his right leg that narrowly missed a major artery, Imran Khan is out of danger but the attack on his life will have major repercussions for Pakistan’s political future.
Already in turmoil following the US-engineered and military-implemented ouster of Khan in April, it appears the military is pushing its luck too far.
On November 3 night, thousands of people in Peshawar surrounded the fortress-like house of corps commander, Lt General Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat, shouting slogans against army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The following day (November 4), people in Lahore wanted to march to the house of the corps commander there but their path was blocked by tanks in the city’s cantonment area.
Seven people including Khan were injured in the November 3 attack in Wazirabad.
Evidence has emerged that there were two gunmen involved.
The first one identified as Naveed Ahmed was apprehended on the scene but not before injuring several people and killing one PTI worker.
The victim was identified as Moazzam Gondal who was hit beneath the chin as he tried to grab the gunman together with Ibtisam Hassan, the first one to hit the gunman’s hand, thus frustrating the assassination bid.
The second gunman, perched on a building, fired his automatic weapon but people on the container with Imran Khan had already ducked down, thus missing his targets.
Asad Umar made the statement after speaking to Imran Khan in hospital on November 3 evening.
The three people named were: the imported prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and ISI director of counterintelligence Major General Faisal Naseer.
Both Shehbaz Sharif and Sanaullah are notorious gangsters.
They have murdered scores of people in Lahore and other places.
Anyone with information about their criminal activities was deemed a threat, has been murdered.
But would they dare eliminate a person like Imran Khan who is widely popular across the country?
It seems highly unlikely unless they had the backing of the military.
That is why, Imran Khan has named Major General Faisal Naseer as one of the persons who orchestrated the assassination attempt.
On November 4, Imran Khan, speaking from a wheelchair in the hospital issued a one-hour-long statement.
He said “I have prior information about the attack and I demand all three should be removed from their position. If they are not removed we will call a country-wide protest,” Asad Umar said on Khan’s behalf, according to The Times.
You Tube videos of Imran Khan’s statement are also available on the Internet.
The Punjab police have refused to register a First Information Report (FIR) because PTI leaders have also named Major General Faisal Naseer, alongwith Shehbaz Sharif and Sanaullah.
There are other disruptive tactics being deployed.
Immediately after Naveed Ahmed was arrested, his “confessional statement” was broadcast on Pakistan TV (PTV), the government’s official channel.
PTV has not broadcast any of Imran Khan’s marches, yet it was quick to show the accused’s statement.
The channel is not only under government control but essentially run by the ISI.
Why was it necessary to broadcast this “confessional statement” that clearly seems to have been written for him by someone else to give it a religious twist?
As early as September 24, Imran Khan had said in his speech that after his assassination, it would be given a religious twist.
He played that clip in his November 4 statement.
Imran Riaz Khan, a Vlogger, who has also suffered at the hands of the military, made some other startling revelations.
As soon as Imran Khan was attacked, PTI officials requested a helicopter from the Punjab government led by Chaudhry Pervez Elahi with the backing of PTI.
There was inordinate delay in responding.
When PTI leaders decided to take Imran Khan to Lahore by his bullet-proof car, the police escort cars deliberately tried to take him on a longer route.
For the record, Pervez Elahi is close to the military and seems to take directions from them.
The question that must be asked is: who would benefit from Imran Khan’s elimination?
True, the political pygmies of PML-N, PPP and the likes of Fazlur Rehman (aka deasil) would benefit.
The real beneficiaries would be the military, especially the army because Imran Khan is challenging their illegal involvement in politics.
The army seems hell-bent on eliminating Imran Khan even if it means destroying Pakistan.
Major Adil Raja, another Vlogger, has revealed that before the assassination attempt on Imran Khan, Bajwa had authorized Rs 1 billion budget for Maj Gen Faisal Naseer to disrupt Imran Khan’s long march within five days!
In his twilight days as army chief, it seems Bajwa wants to destroy Pakistan by instigating a civil war.
Pity Pakistan and its long-oppressed people.
