It’s alleged that there were disguised perpetrators involved since civil clothes men jumped from back of trucks but the point to ponder is different.
IMO the statements of ISPR give away clues. The statements come totally against PTI as a planned media move by ISPR. The statements targeted PTI hooliganism. This leads two ways. One, Military knew it will target PTI in media and this ensured that PTI should cause destruction. Two, some residences of corps Comd were vacated, some cantt entrances made open, and military vehicles were alighted.
Point two shows that security was compromised by military by opening cantts entrances, no one knows how many anti-Pakistan elements went in and out freely that day. Then military knew what was coming so why were military vehicles allowed on the roads. Military knew what was coming coz cantts which are supposed to be secure place were run over, or allowed to be run over ?
A Corps commander is a leader from age 20, and they become Lt Gen at around 55+, so 35 years of leadership. Heck he should know how to tackle and handle the mob. The place was run over. There is something else behind it.
Coming to point one, was this taken as an opportunity by military to target PTI by trying to brand PTI as terrorist organisation while retreating on many fronts. Let PTI mob gain advantage at certain locations while hit them at other locations. Why was Corps Comd residences run over, while Corps HQ remain intact. There was also DG Rangers, and two GOCs in Lahore apart from LOG AREA Comd, all generals, so why mob concentrated at one location only (a residence) which was vacated. Was the mob directed there ?
Another important thing, why didn’t COAS come in front and have a statement or through any other mean to quell the public. Why did military give in to the mob ? Military didn’t need to fire a weapon at the mob to stop them. No one from top brass of GHQ or any other cantt came face to face in uniform in front of the mob even with a few platoons of armed soldiers or without them.
Every security professional knows mob mentality, PA is much ahead of that. You see ISPR didn’t quell or calm the public, ISPR attacked PTI through media from the get go. That’s concerning. At this point, COAS should have ordered all commanders of cantts to let the mob come to them and stand their ground (with or without armed soldiers). Better to have un armed soldiers coz deputing an armed soldier infront of own citizen gives a wrong stance and message.
I can myself think of few ways how mobs can be quelled, I have seen examples in Balochistan tribes also who are hardened men, not PTI mummy daddy’s. I have myself seen unarmed Lt Col ranks walking upto armed Baluchistan tribes who were on a rampage and talking to the tribe/mob leader.
The problem is that military is bloody strong in every aspect, it can take on hits from own citizens, Indian Army, TTP, BLA and still keep functioning.
Now we would hear insider stories why this Corps Comd was removed, but none would be correct unfortunately. The game played in Pakistan is not as straight forward as it seems so keep speculating according to your own perception.
