Days after Islamist outfit Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) unleashed violence and terror in several cities of the country, videos have now surfaced on social media wherein Pakistani army personnel are seen threatening rebellion against the government. The threats of mutiny come in the backdrop of the Pakistani government’s failure to expel the French ambassador from the country.
On Sunday (April 18), journalist Taha Siddiqui shared a video of a Pakistani soldier cautioning the Imran Khan government over its crackdown on TLP. The man said, “More than 45 lovers of the Prophet have died. I am calling upon you to enter the battlefield.” He has also asked the Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to solve the issue at hand. “If you don’t do this, then all forces including Pak Rangers, Pak FC, Pak Army, Punjab police and youngsters will hit the battlefield,” he threatened.
The Pakistani soldier added that all of them are gulam (slaves) of Prophet Mohammed and are willing to sacrifice their lives in his honour. Quoting Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, he emphasised, “I am not miffed with the Yazidis for the Battle of Karbala but with the Kuffars (comparing Muslims to infidels who remained silent).” He said that the Army is with the protectors of Islam (referring to Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan) and claimed that they are happy to die millions of times for the love of their Prophet Muhammad. “This uniform, and the flag is for the Prophet’s honour”, he reiterated.
This is REALLY scary. A #PakistanArmy soldier appeals to the army chief General Bajwa to stop action against TLP. He says 45 lovers of Prophet have been killed. He also says if Bajwa doesnt intervene, then all serving soldiers, who are lovers of Mohammad, will go towards mutiny pic.twitter.com/5AbB4fpjIL
— Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) April 18, 2021
“Gustaak-e-Nabi ki ek hi saza sarr tann se juda (The punishment for dishonouring our Prophet is separating the head from the body),” he continued. The Pakistani army personnel claimed that the Muslim ‘Ummah’ has come forward after the French government insulted the Prophet and caused great pain to Muslims.
He thanked the founder of the hardline party, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, for producing such Aashiq-e-Rasool (lovers of Prophet Muhammad). The man said that Rizvi and other such Islamist organisations had asked the government to wage Jihad against France. “If you cannot do this, expel the ‘impure’ French ambassador from this land of the ‘pure’. This was the agreement between Rizvi and the government. However, after his death, the dates have been extended (to take this matter up before the Parliament),” he lamented.
🔴 [Part 2] Pakistan Army soldier questions: Despite agreement with TLP, why govt did not expel @FranceinPak ambassador over blasphemy #France govt committed. He alleges Pakistani govt is controlled by Jews & Christians. He appeals everyone to join lovers of Prophet & protest pic.twitter.com/nX0XWtAzFn
— Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) April 18, 2021
“Then the government forged an agreement with Rizvi’s son (Saad Hussain). They had demanded an extension till April. But they arrested Saad Hussain and said that they cannot honour the agreement (made between Imran Khan and TLP). This is because we are the puppets and dogs of the Jews of the world. So when lovers of prophet hit the streets, the government cracked down on them with lathi-charge, firing, shelling and water cannons adulterated with acid.”
‘Why are you doing this to please infidels?’ asks Pakistani army personnel
In another video shared by Kashmiri journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, another Pakistani army personnel warned, “Please ask the Prime Minister to pull a chain on the ‘haramkhor kutta’ (unfaithful dogs) in the police force. They have thrashed our Ulemas (clerics). They have brutally assaulted a young boy today so much so that he has now been martyred. Allah is watching.”
Pakistan Army in rebellion mode against Imran Khan after several radical TLP protesters killed by police and security forces in Pakistan during protests. A soldier of the Pak Army asks Army Chief in a public video to ask Imran Khan to control his ‘dogs’ (Police) or face action. pic.twitter.com/zq0E7YrXw1
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) April 18, 2021
He further continued, “Why is Niazi (referring to Imran Khan) unleashing atrocities on our clerics? They talk about the protection and honour of Islam. They are asking you to get rid of the French dog (referring to the ambassador). Why are you not doing this? The French government has insulted our Prophet. Why don’t you remove him using government legislation?… Why are you doing this to please infidels? What will you answer to Allah? What will you answer to Prophet Muhammad (on the judgement day)?”
Pakistani army raised Islamist slogans alongside TLP
Despite the violence wrecked by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan in the country, the Pakistani army personnel were seen raising Islamist slogans along with the party members. Journalist Shama Junejo tweeted, “This video gives a clear message to the world from our armed forces that where do they stand, who they are with, & what kind of social structure they will support in Pakistan. Yet we wonder about #FATF & being a high-risk country for the UK.”
The TLP protests
On Monday (April 12), violent protests broke out in several cities of Pakistan after security forces arrested Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Saad Hussain Rizvi. TLP is a radical Islamist party that was founded in 2015 to prevent any changes to the existing blasphemy law in the country.
In their charter of demands, TLP directed the ouster of the French ambassador within 3 months. They demanded the release of arrested members of the TLP and said that no further cases should be registered against the party’s workers. TLP also demanded that Pakistan would not appoint its ambassador to France, else they would continue their sit-in protests.
In a video message on Sunday (April 11), TLP leader Saad Hussain Rizvi urged his followers to protest and hit the roads against the government if demands are not fulfilled. This call for a countrywide protest led to his arrest at around 2 pm on Wahdat Road in Lahore. Following his arrest, a large mob of his supporters blocked the Grand Trunk Road at several junctions.
On April 16, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government took the decision to shut down social media websites and messaging applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter throughout Pakistan from 11 AM to 3 PM, according to Pakistani media sources. Meanwhile, the French embassy in Pakistan advised all French citizens and companies in the country to temporarily leave Pakistan which is staring at a violent civil war. This move comes in the wake of violent anti-France Islamist protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) affecting several parts of the country.
