We have had all kinds of marches, for example, long march, short march, quick march, double march, etc. But can governments be overthrown through long march? History will have to be explored. When Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister for the first time, General Aslam Beg Mirza was the army chief.
He was in contact with the army chief of the People’s Party, General Aslam Beg Mirza. Although his tenure was ending on August 17, 1991, his successor was announced five months earlier on March 3, 1991, due to concerns. Despite the early appointment of the new chief, rumors continued to circulate that something was going to happen until General Asif Nawaz took charge. However, Benazir Bhutto announced a protest movement against the government.
They were expected to give “Nawaz”. They decided to remain neutral. On December 19, 1992, when the long march reached Islamabad, the leader of the Hizb-B dissident Ms. Benazir Bhutto threw sticks. It was Thursday. The 10th of Muharram was a holiday, but General Abdul Waheed Kakar, the Chief of the Pakistan Army, called the Commanders’ Conference. The Prime Minister was informed of the unanimous decision of the military leadership that holding elections immediately is inevitable. In this all-party conference, the date of the long march could not be agreed, but later it was announced that there will be a long march towards Islamabad on July 16.
Famous journalist Azhar Sohail on page number 140 of his book “Government of Agencies”. writes, “On July 15, at 5 o’clock in the evening, the Chief of Army Staff, General Abdul Waheed Kakar contacted Ms. Benazir Bhutto on telephone in Lahore and asked her to come to Islamabad immediately and told her that a military plane was standing at the airport to pick her up in Lahore. She left Lahore at six in the evening and reached Rawalpindi at half past seven.
Later, during the second term of Benazir Bhutto’s government, a series of palace conspiracies started, then Mian Nawaz Sharif called a meeting of the Central Working Committee of the Muslim League (N) in Lahore on August 1994 and after a passionate speech called the “Movement of Salvation” against the government. The People’s Party government was barely a year old, so the leaders of the Muslim League (N) were in a state of confusion over this decision. In his book Between Dreams and Realities, Sartaj Aziz describes the meeting and writes that “a party leader told Nawaz Sharif that the support of three ‘A’s” is required to run a movement in Pakistan and come to power.
That is, Allah, America and the Army. How many “A’s” do you have? Nawaz Sharif smiled and said, “For now only Allah is with us.” However, in the month of September, Tehreek Najat started. Large meetings and successful rallies were held across the country. Qazi Hussain could not get rid of the government immediately Ahmed came forward. When Jamaat-e-Islami tried to stage a sit-in in the federal capital, Islamabad became a battlefield. But the government could not be overthrown. Meanwhile, Murtaza Bhutto was killed in Karachi.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed called for another dharna from 27 to 29 October. After which President Farooq Laghari issued permission for the resignation of the Kubanazir government on November 5, 1996. Thus, Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s sit-in can be called the second successful long march. The third successful long march was done by Nawaz Sharif. When he left Model Town Lahore on October 16, 2009, he was told by telephone in Gujranwala that the government is ready to restore the ousted judges including the Chief Justice.
Imran Khan also had the same wish to get the good news before the long march reached Islamabad. In the moonlit nights, Qamar and Anjum were requested to announce the date of the elections so that there is a chance to save the honor. Imran Khan does not have any “A”.
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