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Pakistan announced that the paramilitary force deployed on the border with Afghanistan will be turned into a national security force, sparking fears of political repression.
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s party announced nationwide protests from August 5. (Reuters File Image)
In a significant move, Pakistan has announced plans to create a national paramilitary force, sparking concern from opposition parties and human rights groups that it could be used as a tool for political oppression.
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on Monday said the existing paramilitary force deployed on the border with Afghanistan will be turned into a national security force that will be called the Federal Constabulary, according to Reuters.
“This will be a new force. This will be a stronger force. We need this force for internal security,” Chaudhry said, adding that President Asif Ali Zardari had already approved amendments in the law to introduce changes in the paramilitary force.
What Does This Mean?
The bold step would replace the Frontier Constabulary (FC), who are recruited only from tribes in Pakistan’s northwestern provinces. Instead, the training of the new force will bring it into line with other national law enforcement agencies.
The duties of the new force will include internal security, riot control and counter-terrorism, according to a copy of the amended law. The announcement coincided with fresh protests by jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The party said it would stage nationwide protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of his arrest. Several such protests since his August 2023 arrest have turned violent, in some cases paralysing the capital Islamabad for days.
Concerns Over Pakistan’s Move
PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said the changes should be subject to parliamentary discussion, and said it should not be used as a “gimmick to silence political opponents, as has been previously witnessed when the government applied such laws against a large number of the PTI leadership and supporters.”
Haris Khalique, secretary of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, also echoed similar concerns. “We are alarmed by the changes being made to the security and law enforcement structure of the country without any debate in parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PTI launched its “Free Imran Khan Movement” from Lahore on Sunday to demand the release of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is facing multiple criminal charges. The party claimed that the police have begun making arrests to prevent party supporters from joining the protests.
Ever since his arrest on August 5, 2023, in the Toshakhana corruption case, a growing list of legal battles has followed – four convictions, multiple pending cases, and persistent claims from his party that the entire campaign is politically motivated.
(with inputs from agencies)
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan
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