PPP demands arrest of ex-AJK prime minister’s son over worker’s killing

LAHORE:

Killing of people from opposition parties has become a norm under the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government, Pakistan Peoples Party Lahore president Samina Khalid Ghurki said on Sunday.

She was speaking at a demonstration at the Lahore Press Club to protest the death of a PPP worker, identified as Munshi Khan, at a rally in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. As many as 11 others were injured as a clash started at the rally between PPP and PML-N workers.

Ghurki said that law and order situation in the AJK would get out of control if the PML-N government continued to promote violence in this manner. She said voilence in the AJK was hurting the cause of Kashmir’s liberation from India.

Ghurki said the return of a democratic government in the country was owed to the sacrifice of late PPP leader Benazir Bhutto. “If Asif Ali Zardari can facilitate your [Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s] way to the prime ministership, he can bring down your government as well,” she warned.

PPP Punjab general secretary Tanveer Ashraf Kaira said that the courage of PPP AJK workers was worthy of praise. He said the PPP would not tolerate injustice towards its workers.

Kaira said the PML-N was trying to cause anarchy in the AJK. “We reject violence in politics. The PPP cannot only support the PML-N against ‘goonda politics’ of Imran Khan, it can also stand up to violence by PML-N workers as well,” he said.

Referring to Sharif’s association with General Ziaul Haq, PPP Lahore information secretary Faisal Mir alleged that he used to supervise the killings of PPP workers during Zia’s martial law administration.

Mir said Sharif was responsible for the death of the PPP worker on Saturday. “Nawaz Sharif has inherited his dictatorial attitude from his mentor General Zia. He has encouraged the behaviour among all of the PML-N workers,” he said.

Mir demanded that the AJK government arrest Farooq Sikandar, son of former AJK prime minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat, and prosecute him for the February 13 clash.

“Munshi Khan’s sacrifice will not be wasted. We will avenge his death by defeating the PML-N in general elections in the AJK,” he said.

Referring to the judicial commission formed to probe the incident, he said the “kangaroo commission” was formed to let Farooq Sikandar get off the hook. PPP would not let this happen, he added.

Scores of PPP workers attended the demonstration. They chanted slogans against the PML-N government and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Some of the protesters carried placards reading: Blood Bath in AJK; Nawaz Sharif Azad Kashmir mein Khoon Ki Holy Mat Khailo; PML-N acting as BJP in AJK; and We salute PPP martyrs in Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th,  2016.