Part 1: The Buildup

Anwar Rizvi

It was around 2 am in London, early morning in Pakistan on the 25th of November when I got a whats app message from a dear friend in Rawalpindi, a dedicated PTI supporter: the message simply read: “Its all over.” Just those three very plain and simple words that conveyed a deep sense of despondency as well as sorrow and anger. I called my friend. He did not pick up. I guessed he needed the space to get to grips with what must have been a particularly tough night for him. I knew that he was planning to be in D Chowk that night but a security contact in Islamabad had told him to stay put in Rawalpindi. I am glad he didn’t go. He is one of very few people who values our friendship above politics and I have always appreciated that.

The build up to what transpired on November 24th is a curious mix of a lot of belligerent statements being released by some of the PTI hawks on social media while there were others who seemed to be adopting more conciliatory approach simply calling it a peaceful protest that would only end with their main demand of Imran Khan being released from jail. The rhetoric from the hawks was anything but conciliatory. They were spoiling for a fight. There were talks of taking over the capital, of releasing their man from prison by any means necessary and to send the incumbent government into exile quoting examples of recent happenings in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The response from the authorities was ineptitude at best and a flat denial that any march into the capital was even likely to take place. If there is one thing the PML (N) led government has failed to come to grips with, it is their understanding of the power of social media, or the lack of it thereof. Most of the senior PML (N) figures continued to sing the achievements of their government and especially the projects their beloved Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz seemed to be initiating on an almost daily basis. The gathering of dark clouds over the capital seemed to be the last of their worries.

Meanwhile the PTI had decided to name their protest “The Final Call.” This was going to be it as far as the party hawks were concerned. It was a do or die and little did they know at that point what a self fulfilling prophecy this would turn out to be. There was going to be a revolution, nothing less. Some were openly chanting for Jihad, many supporters had started posting selfies wearing a kafan, the Muslim burial shroud and I saw at least one post where the content creator had put his date of birth along with the 24th of November as the day when he would either become a Shaheed or come back a Ghazi. He would either die a martyr or return victorious from battle. A statement purportedly from IK himself said that the 24th of November would be a test of peoples’ faith. The omens were looking not looking good.

In the days leading up to 24th November I had several phone conversations with my PTI friend in Pindi as well as a journalist acquaintance in Lahore. Both were of the opinion that to make this Final Call a success mass mobilisation would be needed from the major urban centres of Punjab and they were not seeing any signs of that. My journalist acquaintance told me in blunt Lahori style Lori nai nikalday bhul jao. My friend in Pindi was meanwhile getting really frustrated with the local leadership. Plans were being made and scrapped. Local leaders were suspecting each other of being moles and the ordinary workers and supporters didn’t know which way to turn. They felt they were being left leaderless. Some hardcore supporters decided to head straight to KPK and join the march from there. Others took the view that perhaps 10-15 thousand people could be mobilised from Pindi and head straight to D Chowk to coincide with the expected arrival of the marchers from KPK. That plan was however scrapped as the movement of large numbers of people from Pindi towards Islamabad would’ve surely aroused the suspicions of the security forces who were on a high state of alert anyway. Finally it was decided to slip into the capital in small groups and wait for the KPK marchers. But even that was proving difficult as the numbers simply weren’t there.

The authorities meanwhile were busy trying to block every possible entry route into Islamabad. Motorways were closed, internet services restricted and mobile signals were jammed. A truly pathetic and laughable excuse of motorway maintenance was concocted to justify the restrictions. Of course no blockade would be complete without those famous containers and several were put in place at key entry points. DIG Islamabad was issuing dire warnings to anyone who tried to break the law and the Federal interior minister who also runs the Pakistan Cricket Board in his spare time was personally overseeing the security arrangements.

The government continued to peddle the all is well line while they talked about everything else bar the impending assault on the capital. Meanwhile the PTI social media went into overdrive. All gloves were now off and the only acceptable outcome would be the overthrow of the incumbent administration. Banners proclaiming Either Imran Khan or Martial Law and No Imran No Pakistan were now openly on display.

It was becoming a battle of wills and neither side seemed to be giving an inch. The dye was now well and truly cast for a head on confrontation and things were looking more and more ominous by the hour.