File photo. Arif Ali—AFP
The 2017 Faizabad dharna continues to loom large over the national psyche, having left a profound impact on the judicial and political narrative of Pakistan. Arising from a protest over alleged “blasphemy,” the sit-in saw supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP)—then led by the late Khadim Hussain Rizvi—camp out at the Faizabad Interchange near Islamabad, bringing life in the capital to a standstill for weeks. The manner in which the protest unfolded challenged the sanctity of the Constitution and the boundaries of freedom of expression, and raised questions over how the demonstrators were allowed to travel from Lahore to Faizabad, despite the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) being in power in Islamabad and Punjab.
What must be recalled is that 2017 marked a period of transition for Pakistan; Nawaz Sharif was recently disqualified after falling out with the “powers that be,” and work was underway for his imprisonment. The PMLN was thus in the process of dismantlement, with the same “powers” propping up the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as its replacement. The establishment’s efforts were supported by much of the superior judiciary and media and even then-P.M. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Punjab C.M. Shehbaz Sharif—both of the PMLN—refrained from challenging the establishment’s dominance. A two-member bench led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa issued its verdict in November 2018, under the government led by then-P.M. Imran Khan, questioning the roles played by the armed forces and intelligence agencies, including the ISI and Military Intelligence, in failing to counter the threat of violent extremism posed by TLP and others.
Expressing disappointment in the alleged interference of ISI in matters of political significance, the ruling stressed that “military agencies should never be seen as supporting any particular political party” and underscored the importance of the armed forces adhering to their constitutional role. The judgement also provided specific directions for initiating action against members of the armed forces who had violated their oaths and ventured into political activities. It is no surprise that shortly after this ruling, Justice Isa and his family were subjected to a presidential reference, facilitated by the establishment and even some of his fellow judges. Rather than course-correcting, the state doubled down on its unstated policies; a position that PTI founder Imran Khan admitted was a mistake—after he was ousted from office and no longer enjoyed the outright support of the establishment.