Dark clouds have descended over Pakistan. The Pakistan army, abetted by the corrupt PDM Government, has run amuck and imposed a fascist reign of terror in Pakistan. Thousands of people have been arrested and imprisoned, after dragging them out of their houses, often by breaking open their doors, torturing and beating them, the judiciary rendered impotent, the media largely muzzled, human rights grossly violated, and all kinds of atrocities inflicted on the populace.
At present no doubt the people seem to be cowed down and silent, out of fear of dire retribution and consequences if they speak out or act against this tyranny, and the army generals are smug and complacent over what they imagine to be their ‘great victory’ over the people.
But this situation will not last long. Historical experience shows that wherever there is oppression there is resistance. At present no doubt the people in Pakistan are subdued. But this situation is only temporary, and will not last long.
Almost 90% Pakistanis are supporting Imran Khan ( as all opinion polls indicate ) who is bravely leading the struggle for democracy and human rights even while confined in a dirty, dingy, bug infested cell in Attock jail.
The only way to restore peace and stability in Pakistan is to release him and quickly hold free and fair elections, in which Imran Khan’s PTI is bound to sweep the polls, but this cannot be expected from the Pakistan Establishment, which has gone mad.
Consequently what seems inevitable is gradual emergence of a guerilla war by the people against the Pakistan army. as it happened in Vietnam during the French and American occupation of the country, in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation, and in Spain during Napoleon’s occupation.
An army can fight another army, it cannot fight the masses. A tiger can kill a prey, it cannot kill a swarm of mosquitoes. Napoleon discovered this too late in Russia ( see Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ ) and General Westmoreland in Vietnam.
No doubt Pakistan has a half a million strong army, but how will it fight an enemy ( the people ) which cannot be seen, which moves in the shadows, which conducts hit and run attacks, having the advantage of surprise, deciding the place, time and duration of its attack, which is everywhere and nowhere ?
The army generals and officers may think themselves safe in their quarters, but have they ever thought of their families ? They too will be subjected to attacks by a vengeful public, whose relatives and friends have been incarcerated or bumped off.
A guerilla war is a cruel, brutal, protracted war, in which none of the rules of conventional war, like the Geneva Conventions, apply. As it develops, as is bound to happen in Pakistan, more and more non militants will become militants, for when a non militant sees his innocent relative or friend killed or tortured he becomes incensed, and joins the militants.
Perhaps the only thing which will drive some sense into the skulls of the bone headed Pakistani generals is when they wake up to the nightmare of body bags of soldiers piling up, and some of their own relatives assassinated, but that will take some time.
