The district administration has changed its security plan for the red zone and allocated space in the F-9 Park for participants of the long march announced by Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran Chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri. Following Qadri’s call for the march, Interior Minister Rehman Malik issued orders during a meeting to change the security plan for the red zone. Malik said certain elements were headed towards the federal capital for publicity and space had been reserved for them in the F-9 Park. Over 683 protest demonstrations had been held in the federal capital during 2012 and a policeman had been killed, while dozens were injured in these rallies. The police are undermanned to deal with the law and order situation. Out of 9,500 officials, 4,000 policemen performed VVIP security duty in embassies and residences of foreign ambassadors and diplomats. Paramilitary forces along with students might be called on to control the situation at the long march and protest rallies.
Revolution by its very nature means the violent overthrow of one class by another. It is not a dinner party. What type of peaceful revolution is Qadri talking about is anybody’s guess. From where would he conjure up pious and religious electables is not revealed. Why has TMQ joined hands only with the MQM, especially when the latter is known for opportunistic manoeuvring to achieve its political agenda, the recent example being the Sindh Local Government Act, passed in unseemly haste? What is it that Tahirul Qadri is up to? His choice of words such as Tahrir Square, revolution, electoral reforms through a caretaker setup, and then the praise of the armed forces for their discipline and meritocracy are indications of a desire for a prolonged caretaker setup, something in line with the Bangladesh model. If that is the case, as all the signs indicate, Pakistan would be in even deeper trouble than it is today. The model has failed in its birthplace and will also fail in Pakistan, especially after the awakening of democratic realisation in the last five years. There would be more restlessness, more violence. With extremism at full swing, it will be a debacle for the country and the people.
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