Pakistan: Anti-ISI slogans raised outside army headquarters, video goes viral
What's the story
Just a few days before Pakistan goes to general elections, scores of people raised anti-ISI slogans outside General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistani army in Rawalpindi.
Many of these protesters were supporters of PML(N), the party of now-jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
They alleged the spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), rigged the elections. Pakistan goes to polls on July 25.
The protest
Army is behind terrorism, protesters say
The protesters shouted 'ISI Murdabad' and 'Yeh jo Deshsad Gardi Hai Uske Peche Wardi Hai' (Army is behind state terrorism) in Rawalpindi. This is definitely not a common scene in Pakistan.
Zaffar Baloch, president of Baloch National Movement, tweeted this protest showed citizens' frustration.
"Unprecedented outpour of frustration against Pakistan Army and its spy agency ISI in the history of this country," he wrote.
Twitter Post
Here is the video from the protest
#WATCH 'ISI Murdabad' slogans raised outside Pakistan Army Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi yesterday pic.twitter.com/jdWn0fVTnc
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2018
Details
Earlier, PML(N) supporters protested against a court verdict
Before this protest, PML(N) supporters had staged a similar one after party leader Hanif Abbasi was sentenced to life imprisonment by Controls of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Court in Ephedrine smuggling case on July 21.
Notably, the most towering leader of PML(N) Nawaz Sharif is serving a sentence along with daughter Maryam.
They are lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail for corruption charges.
The connection
ISI's links with militant groups were confirmed by Pak army
For far too long, ISI has been accused of having connections with terror groups and the army accepted it earlier this month. But the army said it doesn't mean ISI 'supported' them.
Once Islamabad High Court Judge Justice Shaukat Siddiqui had criticized ISI for controlling judiciary and media.
Notably, Pakistan army is endorsing Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming elections.