The recent heinous attack on Pakistan’s Former Prime Minster Imran Khan’s “Haqeeqi Azaadi March” is condemnable. This failed assassination attempt led to unease and country-wide protests. The incident took place on November 3, 2022, at Wazirabad’s Allahwala chowk in which one person was killed and senior party officials including Imran Khan, Senator Faisal Javed, and several others were injured.
This incident sheds light on the turbulent history of Pakistan which has seen several successful and futile assassination attempts of prime ministers, presidents, and other top leaders. This is not the first time that Pakistan has faced such turmoil. If we go down memory lane we found out that when it comes to the head of state they have been subjected to everything from hanging, and shooting to suicide bombing. The Prime Ministers of the country Liaquat Ali Khan and Benazir Bhutto faced this dilemma and the recent attempt to assassinate Imran Khan demonstrates that history is repeating itself since it genuinely seems to be a replay of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination attempt.
The first Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated on October 16, 1951, in Company Baugh of Rawalpindi which was later named Liaquat Bagh. The Shaheed-e-Millat was killed on the stage while he was addressing a gathering of people, by a person sitting in the front row, which was dedicated to the Crime Investigation Department. As time went on, stories surfaced identifying the assassin as an Afghan National named Said Akbar. To this day no one knows how he got there as he was shot dead immediately after he killed Liaquat Ali Khan. By killing the assassin police eliminated crucial evidence. This assassination was perhaps shedding light on Pakistan’s future ridden with chaos and instability.
Later on, as a threatening reminder of the country’s violent past and the omen of the disturbances to come, another Prime Minister of Pakistan “Benazir Bhutto” was assassinated on December 27, 2007, in the same Liaquat Garden where Liaquat Ali Khan was killed. She has also survived the Karsaz bombing attack in Karachi but the assassin caught her on a second attempt. To this day it is unclear who assassinated Bhutto as immediately after the incident Rawalpindi fire department washed the crime scene depriving investigators of the important shreds of evidence. The tragic incident once again plunged the country into chaos and led to further civil unrest. The supporters took to the streets, blocking roads and chanting slogans against the government and institutions which is quite similar to the case of recent Imran Khan’s assassination attempt.
The brutal assassination attempt against Khan was similar to those against Liaquat Ali and Benazir Bhutto. When an assailant opened fire on the container in April of this year, Khan stated that he had information indicating that his life was in danger as a result of threats he was receiving. The suspected attacker was quickly taken into custody and made a worthless and perplexing video statement. He asserted that the conspiracy was his idea and that no one was backing him.
None of the political leaders should ever face such violence as it only fuels instability in the country because article 16 of the constitution has granted the right of peaceful assembly to every citizen of the country. An assassination attempt on a political leader and former Prime Minister of Pakistan came at a time when the political parties are divided and Imran Khan is at odds with political parties and institutions. Democracies can only function properly when we use words instead of weapons. The main factor in the instability of the country is when its public rise against the government and institutions. The same thing is happening in Pakistan right now where the Public vs. Government dilemma has put the country’s peace, economy, and borders at stake while inviting more external challenges for Pakistan.
Whenever the government or any other institution in Pakistan attempts to take away the constitutional right of peaceful assembly from the people, it will cause nothing more than turmoil and hate among the people for the government and its institutions.
The writer is currently associated with National Defense University and is working as Research Associate at IPCA.
