Ever since Imran Khan, the ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan was arrested on May 9, 2023, from the Islamabad High Court, the Indian defence forces are keeping a close watch on developments in the country.
According to defence sources, “Indian Defence Forces are on a vigil and keeping a close watch on the situation in Pakistan, in view of the developments there. Strong vigil has been maintained by the forces across the Line of Control and the international border.”
As per some sources, India is concerned because of the Pakistan Army’s possibility of opening up a new front along the LOC (Line of Control) and then blaming Indian forces and other means to relieve the pressure from internal factors.
India has been maintaining strict vigil to stop Pakistani infiltration already, but now the situation is tense in Pakistan and there are fears that the Pakistan Army may do something drastic to bring supremacy to the country.
Imran Khan, who is also the chief of Pakistan’s Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) political party was arrested regarding his connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.
His arrest has triggered massive and violent protests across Pakistan, even in the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the residence of the Corps Commander in Lahore.
People in Pakistan have taken to the streets and are committing acts of violence and resorting to arson and even raised many slogans to register their resentment against the arrest of the former prime minister.
Almost all the major cities in Pakistan such as Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta, Mardan, Bannu and Chilas, have witnessed carnage and violence. The mobs are burning banners, and tyres, blocking roads, and stone pelting on houses, offices and vehicles.
Several videos on social media platforms show groups of men with faces covered entering the premises of the GHQ with sticks and hitting walls.
These violent protests are an aberration in the history of Pakistan, where masses and citizens are seen vandalising the Pak Army GHQ and the residence of the Corps Commander. All of this indicates the growing popularity of Imran Khan in Pakistan.
In cities such as Faisalabad, mobs pelted stones on the residence of Rana Sanaullah, the Interior Minister of Pakistan. A total of five police officers have been injured, and 43 protestors have been arrested. The Pakistani police have imposed Section -144 in Islamabad and Peshawar.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan issued the arrest warrants for Imran Khan on May 1, 2023.
Tilak Devasher, a member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and a security expert, made similar speculations, saying that India must be on guard and be more watchful after the developments in neighbouring Pakistan.
“We have to be on guard as in recent cases the majority has shown that people who are there will try and divert attention from what is happening in Pakistan, but as far as the army is concerned or the government, I think that they are going to be very, very busy in the next couple of days,” said Devasher.
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