Opposition welcomes end to Faizabad sit-in

Blames govt’s actions for causing casualties during protests

LAHORE: Punjab opposition party leaders have welcomed the peaceful end to the sit-in by Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLY) in Islamabad and other parts of the country. They also criticised the government for not handling the situation in a professional manner.

While speaking to the media on Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood said the issue could had been resolved much earlier, and without the violence and casualties, if the government had released Raja Zafarul Haq’s committee report and taken resignations from those responsible.

He said it was sheer negligence on the part of the government which brought routine life to a standstill across the country. He added authorities had mishandled the entire episode from the first day onwards.



Shafqat Mahmmood maintained the government tried to introduce changes in the oath of the nomination form regarding Khatam-e-Nabuwat in a surreptitious manner and without informing members of the main committee and sub-committee. “The same was never introduced in the National Assembly and minutes of the meetings could testify to this fact,” he said.



He pointed out that a committee, under Raja Zafarul Haq, was formed to probe the matter and the report was submitted within 24 hours. However, it was not published despite widespread calls for it to be made public.

The PTI leader said instead of engaging the protesters in dialogue, the government launched a botched operation in Faizabad and people lost their lives as a result.

He said Ahsan Iqbal and former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar were blaming each other for this loss.

He said the resignation of federal law minister Zahid Hamid could have come earlier and helped defuse the crisis. “The delay in obtaining it caused great suffering to the people, destruction of public and private property and loss of precious lives,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, speaking at a news conference, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaide-e-Azam (PML-Q) central leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi appreciated the Pakistan Army for “reverting PML-N’s scheme of creating more unrest in the country”.



He claimed the ruling party was trying to create a confrontation between the army and the public and instigate civil war in the country. He added the rulers tried to involve army for carrying out operation against peaceful protesters and make it controversial.

Pervaiz Elahi appreciated Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa for tackling the situation wisely and disassociating the military from this sensitive issue.

He said the successful agreement between both parties and end of the sit-in was a result of the efforts of the armed forces.

The PML-Q leader said instead of deviating from the agreement, the government should follow all clauses of the accord and identify the people responsible for playing with the Khatam-e-Nabuwat law or else the country would have to face an uglier situation.

He criticised the PTI for its demand of early elections in the country. He underlined that early polls would not provide any solution to the current political crisis.

There was a dire need of electoral reforms in the country before going into elections, he added. A national government should be constituted in the country to carry out reforms in the given time frame, he concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2017.