People in Bannu march against Indian aggression. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Meanwhile, Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar has been closed for all commercial and passenger operations. Notification has been issued to airlines that the facility has been closed for flights till further orders.
Similarly, the provincial government has declared emergency in hospitals and cancelled leaves of all police and law enforcing agencies personnel.
According to an official handout issued on Wednesday, Chief Minister has issued instruction to heads of all public hospitals to reserve 25 per cent quota of beds for meeting emergency.
All departments concerned should be well prepared for facing any kind of emergency, CM added.
Departments should remain prepared for carrying out rescue and safety measures. Mahmood also directed Disaster Management Authority to take all kind of measures for meeting any untoward happening.
Meanwhile, a video conference of all the administrative secretaries took place after getting instruction of CM. The participants took a review of preparedness for meeting any emergency.
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said Wednesday that Indian government was suffering from war hysteria and such conditions provoke proper treatment. Pakistan armed forces gave India a dose of its own medicine, he added
He was addressing a gathering held at the Qayuum Stadium to handover vehicles to Excise Department.
He said that jihad was obligatory on Muslim if the time comes. He said that Pakistani nation stood firm behind Pakistan Army and Indian government should behave otherwise it would be obliterated.
The nation was united he said adding that both the national and provincial assemblies have passed resolution against India.
He said that federal and provincial governments are on the same page standing firmly behind their armed forces at this juncture. He said that the restraint Pakistan was showing restraint should not be considered as its weakness.
He said that Pakistan nation would not shy away from any kind of sacrifices in defense of their motherland.
Rallies across K-P
People across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa came out on the streets to rejoice the shooting down of Indian warplanes and to show solidarity with the Pakistani security forces.
Speakers at various rallies said that they will fight alongside the Pak Army in case India dares attack the motherland.
Most prominent were the Afghan nationals who took part in a rally of traders in Khyber tribal district vowing support for Pakistan and Pak Army. Besides, members of Sikh, Hindu and Christian communities were chanting slogans in support of homeland and Pakistan Arm.
Meanwhile the tribal notables and Maliks held a press conference at Peshawar Press Club condemning Indian aggression and violating Pakistani borders.
In the backdrop of yesterday’s international border violation by Indian Air Force in Azad Kashmir, people in Wana, the headquarters of North Waziristan, belonging from all segments of society took to streets today.
The main square of Wana Bazaar was swarming with people charged with national fervor as a spontaneous reaction to incursion by the enemy and a befitting reply by the Pakistan Air Force.
Traders’ association, Tribal Youth Jirga, school children, and Wana Syasi Ittehad, a coalition of political workers, Youth Cricket Academy members, civil society members and Ulema of the tribal district were gathered to show unflinching support to the country and its defenders.
The Assistant Commissioner Wana led the rally which started from Wana bazaar which was also attainted by other members of district administration staffers and local elders.
Similarly in Mohmand tribal district, highly charged crowd chanted slogans vociferously against the Indian belligerence and cross border violation. The participants of rally strongly denounced and castigated Indian imperialistic designs and vowed to resist and pay back in the same coin if India tries to transgress the sanctity of international border.
Moreover, the locals also demanded from UNO to intervene and stop India from aggression otherwise the valiant Pashtuns from across the province are ready to teach India lesson.
The participants of rally marched through streets and bazar and turned into a big procession at main chowk where the prominent locals addressed the participants of rally. The participants were carrying banners, placards and national flags with them.
In Southern districts of province scores of solidarity rallies were held in which people from all walks of life participated and announced their undeterred support for their forces.
Similar rallies were also held in Swabi, Mardan, Malakand and Hazzra divisions and Chitral.
People in Uper and Lower Dir were willing to fight along Pakistan Army. Tehsil Nazim Bilambat, Lower Dir, Imran Uddin Advocate reminded that people of Dir had laid down their lives in 1948 Kashmir Jihad while fighting alongside Pakistan Army and they were willing to do so again.
Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said that violation of our airspace by Indian warplanes was an open threat against our sovereignty. He called for holding a joint session of the Parliament to discuss the issue and give a unified national response to the enemy. He said the whole nation was on the same page in defending the motherland against any aggression.
He called out to the Indian political leadership to talk sense to their government. The region is home to billions of people living below the poverty line, it is already reeling from the outfall of Afghan wars and cannot bear the economic impact of more aggression, he said in a statement. He said war should be avoided at all costs and both countries should try to resolve the issues with dialogue.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2019.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ