Islamabad (NNP) In a stunning revelation, the Faizabad sit-in commission report submitted to the Supreme Court has unveiled the government’s involvement in the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, contrary to earlier claims of no state institution or personality being involved.
The commission report, consisting of 49 brief points, sheds light on the sequence of events leading up to the sit-in and the actions taken by various stakeholders. Former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s admission that the government itself sought assistance from the ISI to resolve the matter adds a new dimension to the controversy.
According to the report, the ISI, acting on the government’s instructions, engaged with the leadership of the protesters and brokered an agreement. General Faiz Hameed, under the directives of the DG ISI and Army Chief, signed the agreement, as revealed in the commission’s findings.
Key figures, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Shahbaz Sharif, Ahsan Iqbal, and Aftab Sultan, admitted during the commission’s proceedings that no organization or individual was directly involved in the sit-in.
The roots of the Faizabad sit-in are traced back to the amendment in the Election Act 2017 and concerns raised by former center Hafiz Hamdullah regarding changes in candidates’ forms.
Despite the movement being announced on October 18, 2017, the Punjab government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, reportedly did not intervene to prevent protesters from heading to Islamabad.
However, the situation escalated when the Islamabad High Court ordered the Islamabad Police to take action against the protesters, resulting in clashes and casualties due to the lack of coordination between the Rawalpindi and Islamabad police forces.
While most of the protesters’ demands were addressed by the Punjab government, including the resignation of the law minister from the federation, the commission report highlights the damaging effects of the army’s interference in civil matters, tarnishing the institution’s reputation.
Furthermore, the report underscores the need for stronger command and control at the senior level and suggests that the matter should have been handled by civil administration and intelligence agencies, which lacked confidence at the time.
The Supreme Court’s directive to form a commission to investigate the Faizabad sit-in matter in November 2023 underscores the gravity of the situation and the importance of uncovering the truth behind one of Pakistan’s most contentious political episodes.
