Its both in the interest of country, parties involved not to re-launch protest movements at this particular time
LAHORE: Both the PTI and the PAT, which ended their sit-ins and protests previously, have again threatened to re-launch their campaigns, complaining that their demands were not met by the government. Dr Tahirul Qadri has announced that his party will resume its countrywide protest from January 17 while the PTI is planning another sit-in in the capital to kick-start what it is calling Plan ‘D’, after its previous three plans could not achieve their targets.
However, it is both in the interest of the country and the parties involved not to re-launch the protest movements at this particular point in time when the attention of the entire nation is focused on the monstrous problem of extremism and terrorism. Plans and programmes that are part of the overall national strategy to counter terrorism are being given practical shape by different stakeholders — the federal and provincial governments, the armed forces, intelligence agencies and the judiciary. Military courts are beginning their proceedings, anti-terrorism courts are now delivering judgments speedily, executions are being carried out and security and vigilance have been enhanced to curve terrorism in all its different forms. The PTI, being one of the most important stakeholders, as it heads the provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is expected to complement national efforts and not distract the nation from the core issue at hand. We would, therefore, urge both the PTI and the PAT to postpone their protests and, at the same time, warn the government against dragging its feet on questions of national security. A solution to the country’s many problems must be found at the discussion table within parliament, and not on the roads, which will not benefit anyone.
Salman Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2015.
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