Govt will compensate for losses during protests: Fawad

Those involved in vandalism are being arrested, says information minister


Imran Adnan November 05, 2018
Fawad Chaudhry. PHOTO:INP

LAHORE: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said the federal government would compensate every citizen who suffered losses due to the protests that erupted in the wake of the apex court’s October 31 verdict acquitting blasphemy accused Aasia Bibi.

“The federal government has already directed provinces to submit details of losses incurred during protest by tonight. The government would compensate every citizen who suffered losses due to the protests,” Chaudhry told a press conference on Monday.

The minister thanked the opposition parties for showing maturity and extending cooperation to the government for easing out the situation, adding that everyone, including people belonging to religious groups, condemned hate speeches and violence during the recent protest demonstrations..

TLP protests: Footage of miscreants released

Chaudhry, however, condemned the religious clerics who were ‘using religion for politics’, warning that the government would take action against those who destroyed public and private property during protests in different cities.

He said the model of the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is based on the state of Madina. "We have to give minorities and other citizens their constitutional rights,” he said.

Referring to a video clip showing protesters looting a child selling bananas on a donkey cart, the minister questioned the moral standing of demonstrators. “The way they (protestors) damaged public transport and private property and misbehaved with innocent citizens showed that they did not have any moral value. They had no connection with the religion, but had worn the garb of religion,” he said.

To a question, the minister said the government did not support censorship. But to counter hate speech and religious hatred it would seek cooperation from social media channels.

He said the government had established relationship with Facebook that had suspended hundreds of accounts for spreading hatred. However, there is no agreement with Twitter to monitor accounts that promoted hate speech and religious hatred.

He said the police had already arrested several people who were involved in the unrest and rioting. He dismissed criticism against the government for striking a deal with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and said the government had two options: to end protests through negotiations or by using force.

“If we had used force, there would have been bloodshed. The negotiating delegation should be given credit for arriving at a peaceful agreement. However, the state will have to look for a solution to such occurrences. The state cannot allow a few thousand people to shut down cities whenever they want.”

PM’s visit to China

Chaudhry said the PM’s visit to China had been as successful as his trip to Saudi Arabia.  “It is a landmark visit that has opened up new avenues of cooperation on economic and strategic fronts. However, details of the premier’s visit will be shared by the finance minister upon conclusion of the official visit,” he said.

He said it had been agreed that trade with China would be conducted in Chinese currency, Yuan, instead of the US dollar. “The current volume of the Pakistan-China trade is $15 billion. The trading in Yuan would reduce burden on the dollar reserves of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).”

He said the Pakistan-China relations have moved beyond the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), adding China has extended currency support, cooperation in agriculture sector and establishment of new industrial zones in the country which would create new jobs and enhance economic activity.

Pakistan, China to utilise currency swap deal in trade

He said Pakistan had signed a historic pact on strategic relations, adding that the bilateral relations between the two countries had existed since the 1960s and that the strategic relations between them were also decades-old and of great importance.

He said cooperation in the space programme is another advance in scientific relations and the first Pakistani astronaut would be sent to the space with the help of Chinese Space Programme in 2022.

He said the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) would invite applications from interested individuals by 2019.

In a candid tone, he said all the corrupt politicians and mischief-makers should be dispatched to the space for good. Suparco should be tasked with that mission for the good of the country, he added.

The minister said Pakistan's relations with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, China, Iran and other regional countries as well as with the United States are improving. Relations among states, he said, are not dependent on individuals. "People come and go, but bilateral ties among the states continue," he said.

On the international front, he said, Pakistan had emerged as a leading Islamic state. Prime Minister Imran Khan has been playing the role of a mediator in the Middle East crisis. The Islamic world is looking towards the prime minister for the resolution of Yemen issue, he said.

The European Union Human Rights Court, he said, had decreed blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as illegal. “It is a great victory of the PTI government, which had taken up the case with the governments across the globe,” he claimed.

Police crackdown

Separately, law enforcement agencies continued a crackdown on ‘miscreants’ reportedly involved in damaging public and private property after the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Aasia Bibi case.

In Islamabad, police arrested at least 18 people and identified another 30 for vandalism during the protests called by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

After the Supreme Court’s Oct 31 judgement acquitting Aasia Bibi, TLP launched countrywide protests, bringing several cities to a standstill for three days.

According to Express News, police in the federal capital also conducted raids to arrest some 500 individuals.

In Lahore, Punjab Police lodged cases against the protesters. In Nawabshah, two TLP leaders and dozens of protesters were arrested for violence and hate speech, while more than 2,500 unidentified men as well as nine leaders of different religious parties – including the TLP and the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl – were booked for destroying state property and promoting violence in Gujranwala.

Another four cases were registered in Attock while 17 TLP leaders were also charged for violence in Jehlum as police continued making arrests.

In Karachi, Sindh Police detained two men on charges of inciting violence and causing harm to public property while cases were also registered against 12 others.

The crackdown came as the government released footage of the rioters torching vehicles, blocking roads and vandalising public and private property.

The government was able to strike a ‘deal’ with the TLP leadership after three days of rioting, and the protests were called off. The party leadership ‘apologised’ for offending anyone during the sit-ins, claiming that their members and supporters were only staging peaceful demonstrations, but some unknown offenders caused disruptions.

The government later announced that it would not spare those involved in rioting. The Ministry of Interior issued orders for the Federal Investigation Agency and the police to take action against any person identified as a miscreant.

COMMENTS (2)

powayman | 5 years ago | Reply Why should Pakistan compensate? The religious parties should be held responsible for paying for this damage. It's called Accountability ... the new Pakistan!
Engr.Amir Sultan Rana | 5 years ago | Reply Take proper actions against offenders. They should realize how difficult is to maintain and sustain things in Pakistan. Those who have done damages to the property and assets should be liable to pay the damages and should be publicly announced so that we should know that the government of Pakistan is doing justification. Best of luck Pakistan.
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