Politicking: PTI diverting attention from India’s atrocities, says PML-N

Ruling party leaders say PTI chief’s politics will benefit hostile neighbour

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for holding the Raiwind march at a time when cross-border clashes have escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.

Punjab government spokesperson Zaeem Qadri said PTI Chairman Imran Khan was holding his rally at a time when people were incensed by Indian aggression along the Line of Control in Kashmir.

“He thinks his politics is more important than the life of people,” Qadri said. “Rather than condemning India for killing innocent people in Kashmir, Imran Khan is busy doing politics.”

Qadri said Imran should come forward and work with the government to condemn Indian atrocities rather than hindering progress on projects involved in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.”

PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq said Imran’s march appeared to be supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “At a time when the nation needs to be united, Imran Khan is dividing it,” he said.  “He is just distracting attention from Indian atrocities and LoC violations. When he should be raising his voice against Indian terrorism, he is busy gaining political support.

People have rejected his politics and Lahore has abandoned him.”

Farooq said the PTI chief was acting like a dictator in his own party and that was the reason why people were abandoning him. “There are many leaders in PTI who are waiting to join PML-N if they are given an assurance that they will be awarded party ticket,” he added.

The ruling party leaders said the Punjab government, as promised, did not create any hindrance for protesters and facilitated them.

They said people had rejected the PTI chief’s politics, which, in the current circumstances, appeared to be benefiting India instead of Pakistan. “A majority of those who came to PTI’s protest came from outside Lahore,” a PML-N leader said.

“It wasn’t a crowd [of the party’s Lahore’s supporters] but a crowd of PTI supporters from across the country. If we count the number [of people who attended the rally], it must have been disappointing, even for PTI.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2016.