In my opinion, Moeed Pirzada is the best journalist in Pakistan today, being both brave and upright. I have praised him several times in articles, tweets, and other platforms.
Moeed had to flee Pakistan due to his courageous stance against the Pakistani Establishment, and he has been living in the USA for quite some time, from where he posts his vlogs on YouTube and Twitter almost daily (sometimes several times a day). However, he faces some dilemmas, which I have described in this article:
I regret to say that his latest vlog is totally disappointing:
Moeed Pirzada
In this vlog, Moeed discusses the cancellation by Imran Khan’s PTI of a previously announced ‘jalsa’ (public gathering) at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 15th. The jalsa was intended to protest against Imran Khan’s incarceration in Adiala jail since August last year, and the fact that since October 6th, he has been held incommunicado, without access even to his sister, doctor, or lawyer.
Since the Pakistani government has now announced that Imran Khan’s doctors can meet him in jail, the jalsa was called off, and Moeed described this as a ‘partial victory’ for PTI.
In his latest vlog, Moeed correctly states that PTI leaders, caring only for their personal welfare, seem to have aligned themselves with the Pakistani Establishment. He also rightly points out that Imran Khan will likely remain incommunicado for a long time, preventing him from communicating with or giving instructions to the PTI leaders who are not in jail, or from influencing them in any way.
However, after making these observations, Moeed then obfuscated, offering a rambling discussion on various issues, many of which were completely unconnected.
He referred to the SCO summit in Islamabad, attacks on Chinese personnel in Pakistan, Gwadar airport, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for the SCO summit, Barkha Dutt’s interview of Nawaz Sharif, regime change, police attacks on students in Lahore protesting against a rape, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and so on.
What Moeed will never address is the real solution for the Pakistani people.
Since the events of May 9, 2023 (which many believe were stage-managed), the Pakistani army has unleashed a fascist reign of terror in Pakistan, suppressing all civil liberties and human rights—much like General Pinochet in Chile or General Franco in Spain.
Also Read: Imran Khan Arrest: How was it decided? – An Imaginative Meeting
About 14,000 innocent people were arrested on trumped-up charges, many beaten and tortured, and they remain incarcerated in inhumane conditions for over a year.
The judiciary, whose solemn duty is to uphold the Constitution and protect the rights and liberties of the people (as outlined in Articles 8 to 28 of the Pakistani Constitution), has turned a blind eye to these atrocities and has become subservient to the executive. Meanwhile, the media has largely been silenced.
In this dire situation, there is only one path left for the people of Pakistan: guerrilla warfare against the Pakistani army. But Moeed will never mention this; instead, he discusses everything else under the sun.
‘Jalsas’ and peaceful protests are useless against the Pakistani army, which holds the power of the gun. A Vendémiaire situation may well arise if this path is pursued, as it did in Paris in October 1795, when the mob was dispersed by a ‘whiff of grapeshot’ from General Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops.
To gain freedom from these fascists, the people of Pakistan must resort to arms, as the great freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Surya Sen (Masterda), Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Khudiram Bose, and others did.
In fact, guerrilla warfare has already begun in Balochistan.
Some may ask: Where will the weapons for this guerrilla war come from? The answer is that in guerrilla warfare, guerrillas seize weapons from the enemy and fight with them.
The generals and senior officers of the Pakistani army think they are safe. They forget that they have families who are exposed to attacks by guerrillas. After all, wives need to leave their homes for shopping or social visits, and their children have to attend school or college. That is when the guerrillas will strike.
The Pakistani generals believe they are too clever, but they fail to realize that by imposing fascism and an undeclared martial law, they have ignited a fire that will sooner or later consume them, other officers, and their families.
They do not understand that by destroying the judiciary and silencing the media, they are inviting large-scale violence and guerrilla warfare across Pakistan, leading to widespread horrors and deaths.
I shudder to say this, but Mark Antony’s speech before Caesar’s body in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar foreshadows the days to come in Pakistan:
“A curse shall light upon the limbs of men; domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of Italy; blood and destruction shall be so in use and dreadful objects so familiar that mothers shall but smile when they behold their infants quarter’d with the hands of war; all pity choked with custom of fell deeds: and Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge, with Ate by his side come hot from hell, shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice cry ‘havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war; that this foul deed shall smell above the earth, with carrion men, groaning for burial.”
It is true that many lives will be lost in guerrilla warfare, but that is the price people must pay for liberty.
I hope Moeed Pirzada comes to realize this one day. 
Markandey Katju
Justice Markandey Katju is former Judge, Supreme Court of India and former Chairman, Press Council of India.
Disclaimer : PunjabTodayNews.com and other platforms of the Punjab Today group strive to include views and opinions from across the entire spectrum, but by no means do we agree with everything we publish. Our efforts and editorial choices consistently underscore our authors’ right to the freedom of speech. However, it should be clear to all readers that individual authors are responsible for the information, ideas or opinions in their articles, and very often, these do not reflect the views of PunjabTodayNews.com or other platforms of the group. Punjab Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the views of authors whose work appears here.
Punjab Today believes in serious, engaging, narrative journalism at a time when mainstream media houses seem to have given up on long-form writing and news television has blurred or altogether erased the lines between news and slapstick entertainment. We at Punjab Today believe that readers such as yourself appreciate cerebral journalism, and would like you to hold us against the best international industry standards. Brickbats are welcome even more than bouquets, though an occasional pat on the back is always encouraging. Good journalism can be a lifeline in these uncertain times worldwide. You can support us in myriad ways. To begin with, by spreading word about us and forwarding this reportage. Stay engaged.
— Team PT