Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI is staging a major rally in Islamabad on September 8th. While prominent journalist Moeed Pirzada is optimistic about its impact, Justice Markandey Katju argues that the jalsa is unlikely to effect real change. Explore Justice Katju's analysis of the event's potential and the broader political context involving Pakistan's military and its recent actions.
Moeed Pirzada lives in La-la Land about the PTI jalsa
By Justice Markandey Katju
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI is holding a huge 'jalsa' ( public rally ) today, 8th September in Islamabad.
Yesterday I tweeted about it :
''On 8th September a PTI 'jalsa' will be held. One can predict its outcome. In Shakespeare's words, It will be 'a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'. It will be 'aamadam, guftam, barkhaastam' but zero haasildam. Afterwards, it will be business as usual''.
The aim of the jalsa is to get Imran Khan released.
But in this article I have explained why he will not be released
The eminent journalist Moeed Pirzada is rhapsodic, exuberant, gung ho, and hunky dory about this jalsa.
But in my opinion, this jalsa is only a gimmick, and will achieve nothing.
The real ruler of Pakistan is its army, which has unleashed a fascist reign of terror in Pakistan after the events of 9th May, 2023 (which many say were stage managed by the army, hand in glove with Nawaz Sharif in accordance with the 'London plan'). About 14,000 people, including women and children, were arrested after 9th May, often tortured, and then incarcerated in jail for over an year in inhuman conditions, where they are still rotting. The media has been largely silenced, and the judiciary made subservient to the Establishment..
All this the army could do because it has the gun, and as has been said ''power grows out of the barrel of a gun''.
To combat this fascist army, whose senior officers have amassed fortunes by looting the country e.g. Gen Bajwa who became a billionaire, the people must create their own people's army, and fight a guerilla war, like the Vietcong, the Afghan Taliban, or the Balochistan Liberation Army which recently killed over 100 Pakistani soldiers. Jalsas will achieve nothing, and Moeed should stop dreaming.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
