Pakistan is now confronted with an increasing internal tempest in the wake of the Pahalgam terror strike—India’s worst civilian attack after 26/11. With the death toll rising to 26, New Delhi has initiated a series of robust diplomatic and strategic moves, such as suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and cancelling Pakistani visas.
In the backdrop of Indian revenge attacks, an upsurge of dissent sweeps across Pakistan’s religious and military establishments, as viral clips are circulating featuring clerics and regional police brazenly disobeying the Pakistani military.
Clerics Blame Establishment for Oppression
One of the most widely shared items on the social media site X is a video of an Islamabad cleric from the infamous Lal Masjid giving a passionate sermon. The cleric denounces the Pakistani establishment, declaring, “Pakistan’s fight is a fight of nationality, not of Islam, and that there is more oppression in Pakistan than in India.”
لال مسجد کے مولانا عبدالعزیز غازی کا خطاب سنئیے جس میں وہ کہتے ہیں کہ پاکستان کی لڑائی قومیت کی لڑائی ہے اسلام کی نہیں اور پاکستان میں بھارت سے زیادہ ظلم ہے وغیرہ وغیرہ۔ ریاست کے وہ کارندے غور سے سُنیں جو ان حضرات کی سرپرستی کرتے ہیں اور سیکولر پاکستانیوں کو خطرہ سمجھتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/l9Or4OJWHl
— Husain Haqqani (@husainhaqqani) May 4, 2025
He then asks the audience a blunt question: whether they would support Pakistan in a war against India. The deafening silence that ensues is palpable—no one lifts their hand. The video has become viral, capturing the eroding public support for Pakistan’s military leadership at a time of high stakes.
Another incendiary clip is of a cleric from restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. His appeal mirrors the anger of the Pashtun people, which has for years blamed the state for violence and marginalization.
“You have harmed Pashtuns so much – you think we will stand by you? You think we will chant “Zindabad” for you? Tell me – Am I right or wrong? You have oppressed our land.You have oppressed us Pashtuns,” the Maulana is heard uttering.
Individuals surrounding him nod in assent as he goes on, “Which Pashtun child have you not left in tears? O’Lord have these soldiers’ children cry the way Pashtun children cried. Let them mourn in their homes now. In Swat and Malakand, every family is in mourning. Every family has lost two or three people. You think Pashtuns will support you?“
Tensions Escalate as Police Block Army Convoy
The violence is not confined to religious leaders. Tensions between the Pakistan Army and the police also emerged recently in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A viral clip showed a dramatic standoff in Lakki Marwat, where Pashtun police officers stopped an army convoy from entering a police station.
One police officer, standing on a balcony and pointing his gun at army men, can be heard yelling, “Idhar Kya Kar Rahe Ho. Aapka General Bhi Aa Jaye Phir Bhi kuch Nahi Kar Sakte Ho (What are you doing here? We won’t allow you even if your General is here).”
He adds defiantly, “Yeh Lakki Marwat police hai. Yaad Rakhna (This is Lakki Marwat Police. We are not scared of anyone).”
Global Pressure Mounts on Pakistan
While India speeds up diplomatic efforts to isolate Islamabad, global players are also following suit. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to condemn the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir in strong terms and help with the ensuing investigation.
Already economically unstable and politically volatile, Pakistan now has a vital test of cohesion from within. The escalating civil and institutional resistance laid bare by these viral videos is symptomatic of an escalating crisis at home, just as tensions escalate overseas.
