Noor Ul Huda is a JURIST staff correspondent in Pakistan and a recent graduate of Punjab University Law College. She files this dispatch from Lahore.
The last week of November was a troubling time for Pakistan, marked by significant protests and internet disruptions in major cities such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, as well as the closure of motorways across the country. This unrest intensified with a protest held by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on November 24 at D-Chowk, a large public square in Islamabad. Unfortunately, this demonstration took a violent turn, leading to casualties, injuries, and arrests.
“Again, protesters in Pakistan have faced a brutal and lethal crackdown shrouded in a callous opacity by the authorities,” Amnesty International said in a statement posted on X, condemning the violence. The authorities’ mass detentions, shutdown of mobile internet services, and use of “alarming rhetoric” against PTI protesters, according to Babu Ram Pant, deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International, spoke of a “pattern of intolerance” for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly across the nation. He also noted that similar crackdowns were seen earlier this year against Baloch and Pakhtun protesters. Amnesty International demands that the unlawful use of force, including lethal and non-lethal weapons, by security forces, as well as the deaths and injuries of protesters, be investigated promptly, thoroughly, impartially, effectively, and transparently.
Alarmingly, various reports suggest that a security forces operation resulted in the deaths of several demonstrators in Islamabad. While hospitals like PIMS and PolyClinic have refuted claims of receiving casualties from the protest, PTI maintains that many of their members were shot, and several others sustained injuries. The party released images of 12 deceased activists on their social media accounts, alleging that hospital staff are facing immense pressure to keep casualty details under wraps. In a worrying development, Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan, while probing into the casualty figures, was arrested by Islamabad Police. A dubious FIR (First Information Report) was filed against him, and he remained in detention till his release. His case raises serious concerns about the growing trend of fabricated charges against citizens. Another journalist, Shakir Awan, also faced a baseless abduction but was released after a brief detention.
In addition to protests in the capital, sectarian violence erupted in Parachinar, the capital of Kurram District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, just a stone’s throw (in this case, about 200 kilometers) from Kabul, Afghanistan. The explosive conflict has led to a staggering death toll of 130 after clashes between Alizai and Bagan tribes continued for over a week. Tensions peaked on November 21 when an attack on a passenger van convoy resulted in 47 deaths; as some severely injured passengers succumbed later, the toll rose to 57. The deathtoll did not spare the children, young, women, and old. A heartbreaking incident occurred when the head of an honourable tribesman, Ali Raza, was hanged on a wall after he was slaughtered. Bazaars were also burnt, which resulted in further escalation. Despite a recent ceasefire between Sunni and Shia groups, the situation remains volatile, illustrating that the truce may only be a temporary band-aid rather than a lasting solution.
As violence gripped the region, the main Peshawar-Parachinar Road was forced to close, severely impacting access to essential goods and services. With mobile and internet services also suspended, the Kurram region finds itself in a communication blackout. The ongoing clashes have resulted in 186 injuries and heightened fears of scarcity in oil, food, and medicine.
To address the conflict, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) authorities dispatched a high-level delegation to Kurram, including notable figures like KP Law Minister Aftab Alam and Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, hoping to stabilize the area. However, peace efforts have been met with resistance, as violence persisted shortly after their visit. In response, Khyber PakhtunKha government is striving to restore order in Kurram. Recently, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took the bull by the horns by ordering the demolition of rival tribes’ dugouts and the confiscation of their arms, reinforcing the idea that sometimes extreme times call for extreme measures. This directive was issued during a grand jirga in Kohat, attended by tribal elders, emphasising the community’s urgent need for a resolution.
The dawn of December witnessed little change, being marked by internet disruptions across various parts of the country once again. Downdetector confirmed these disruptions, reporting a surge in outages for WhatsApp, Gmail, Instagram, and TikTok around 11 a.m. on December 1, 2024. The slow internet speeds significantly impacted users who rely on these platforms for communication, work, and social engagement. Minister of State Shaza Fatima informed the public that these internet disruptions were not due to any government action.
Pakistan needs to stay up-to-date with the world’s rapid advancements in providing Internet services to its youth. To close the gaps of mistrust and deprivation between the people and the state, it is imperative to guarantee peace, stability, and basic services for the populace. As we approach the year 2025, it will be interesting to see how policymakers initiate change with the start of the new year.
