Pakistan Army has a big war to fight as Imran Khan asks PTI to gear up for nationwide agitation

While the Pakistani army is reeling from India’s Operation Sindoor, it would now find itself entangled in a bigger crisis at home. Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan, has called for a nationwide agitation, which will not be restricted to Islamabad. The proposed mass agitation follows several protests by PTI supporters seeking the release of Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023.

The message, conveyed by Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, made it clear. “Start preparing for a mass movement; I will not call people to Islamabad, but we will launch the movement across Pakistan”, Pakistan Daily, The Express Tribune, quoted her as saying.

In a post on X, PTI Senator Ali Zafar, who went to meet Imran Khan on Monday, also shared that his party was planning a nationwide movement.

“Some very important matters were discussed. Amongst them was a countrywide movement for which the party should prepare and be well-organised,” the senator wrote.

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MASS MOVEMENT, NO SURRENDER: EX-PAK PM IMRAN KHAN

Khan’s sister Aleema reiterated Khan’s steadfastness in resisting any pressure, saying, “Imran Khan has made it clear that even if he spends his entire life behind bars, he will not surrender to pressure”.

She further revealed the former PM was being denied basic rights typically granted to regular inmates.

Aleema highlighted Khan’s commitment to the party’s core values, quoting him: “No matter the extent of the torture, I will never accept subjugation. I will not give in.”

He also made clear there was no space in PTI for disloyal members, stating there is no place in the party for those who play on “both sides of the wicket.”

Aleema also spoke about Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi’s imprisonment, describing it as a tactic to increase pressure on Imran. “Even if I am kept in prison for life, I will not bow down,” Khan reportedly stated.

WHY WAS EX-PAK PM IMRAN KHAN JAILED?

Khan was ousted from office through a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022 and was later arrested in August 2023.

After Khan’s arrest, for the Toshakhana case, where he was sentenced to 3 years and disqualified from office, widespread PTI-led protests erupted across Pakistan.

Though his sentence was suspended on August 29, he was re-arrested in the cipher case. In January 2024, he received a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets, which was overturned on June 3.

He had blamed the Pakistani army for having a “personal grudge” against him. Since then, he has been vocal in his criticism of the Pakistani military establishment and the coalition government of PML(N), led by PM Sharif.

The announcement of the nationwide agitation call by the PTI chief follows the party’s mass protests seeking Imran Khan’s release in November 2024, when PTI leaders and supporters flocked to the federal capital and blocked roads for days. The protests saw intense clashes between PTI protesters and security forces. The party’s leadership was ultimately forced to make a swift withdrawal.

Khan still remains jailed due to other cases, including a 7-year sentence related to his marriage. PTI-backed candidates won the most seats in February 2024 elections but were excluded from power as rivals formed a coalition government.

PTI AGITATION LOOMS AS PAK ARMY IS IN BACKFOOT

The Pakistan Army, which is the de-facto head of the Islamic Republic, is on the backfoot after India’s Operation Sindoor.

In response to the Pakistani establishment-sponsored Pahalgam attack, Indian forces dealt a severe blow to the Pakistan Army, exposing its vulnerabilities.

First, a 25-minute precision strike destroyed nine terror camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, killing over 100 terrorists, including Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf Azhar.

Then, New Delhi’s advanced airpower overwhelmed Pakistan’s air defences, in to the latter’s strikes on Indian military installations and civilians. In retaliation to Pakistan’s strikes, Indian counterstrikes crippled its key military installations like Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan airbases.

Facing military setbacks and economic strain, Pakistan, on the lookout for a face-saving exit, declared a victory and elevated the army chief to the post of Field Marshal, a move which was widely seen as self-promotion.

Even before India’s Operation Sindoor, the army was already under fire from civilians, particularly PTI supporters, and Munir’s popularity was waning. Now, with the regime already stretched thin, it faces the prospect of another major confrontation at the home front when the PTI launches its nationwide agitation against the hybrid setup of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.