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No fireworks were launched
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No performances took place
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Crowd control had failed completely
This was not miscommunication.
It was an operational breakdown.
Islamabad vs. Lahore: The Comparison That Won’t Go Away
On the same night, over 50,000 people gathered at Liberty Chowk in Lahore.
The outcome?
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Zero vandalism
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Zero stone-throwing
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Zero attacks on staff or journalists
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No destruction of public or private property
Same country.
Same night.
Larger crowd.
The comparison shattered the claim circulating online that the Islamabad violence was a “normal reaction” to disappointment.
Frustration explains anger.
It does not explain criminal violence.
The Video That Reignited the Debate
As footage spread, one video dominated the discourse: Afghan influencer Abdulhaq Hamidi, filmed near the site, angrily condemning the vandalism—while explicitly alleging the involvement of Afghan nationals.
His words were direct.
So was the backlash.
Almost instantly, a counter-narrative flooded X (formerly Twitter):
