K-P thanks PTI as PML-N mocks ‘peace march’
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the provincial government had provided security to the PTI and appreciated the party’s cooperation with the government for holding a “successful rally”.
“The Peace March was a good initiative for a good cause for which Imran Khan has taken the credit. But if the march has been successful, it’s also because of the democratic government,” the minister told a news conference.
Rejecting claims that the government tried to create hurdles for the rally, he said: “We could have stopped them at the entry point into the province”.
He revealed that the PTI was given special jammers and special police squads which led Imran to provide him with security.
Asked about the containers placed on various check-posts, he said that “those containers were not placed for blocking the rally but to use as security measures if the rally turned violent.”
Kaira sings the same song
Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira reiterated the belief that the government had not stopped anyone from participating in PTI’s Peace March, insisting that elaborated security measures were taken to protect the participants.
Kaira said Imran Khan should hold talks with the Taliban on the issue of terrorism and the government would support him in this regard. “The entire Pakistani nation wants to end terrorism from the country,” he said while denying reports that the government tried to impede the rally.
“The government has only told Imran of the law and order situation in Waziristan,” the minister held.
Criticism
Criticising PTI’s march, PML-N Secretary General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said: “Imran Khan’s march was not an expression of solidarity with the people of Waziristan but was political point-scoring.”
Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah said Imran had just used the name of Waziristan, and it seemed he was on a picnic journey.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed Imran a “western agent”, claiming that the PTI wanted to destroy Pakistan by injecting “Western thoughts” in it.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2012.
COMMENTS (37)
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Someone please tell me how you negotiate a settlement with TTP that doesn't result in their taking power.
@gp65 Are you really a proponent of peace?
Everyone acknowledges that IK's and Pakistani peoples' objective of bringing this issue to the forefront and before the international media was fully successful. Who cares where he went or didn't go?
For all I care, if he had gone to the toilet and received such publicity for the drone attacks, it would have been fine with me!
@Caramelized_Onion: "Dude, how dumb do they think we really are? First they try tooth and nail to scare people off the rally and to create hurdles, as shown on TV no less. When they fail in these attempts, they suddenly change their tune."
Dude, they succeeded. IK did NOT enter Waziristan. Note also that he had initialy said he would go to NWA where most of the drones are falling anyway. Then abruptly and without explanation, he changed the destination. BEfore the rally started the political agent had told Imran not to go o Waziristan. He claimed with bravado taht he would go no matter what. Eventually the army told him that he should not go to Waziristan and he complied.
I don't know if he was scared or not - but he clearly did ot do what he set out to do and you somehow seem to imply that he did.
TTP is a barbaric force and any talks with them is tentamount to surrender of our children to these barbarians. Not acceptable. TTP has to be wiped out, if not today, then tomorrow, Paksitan will cease to exist if they are allowed to operate with impunity.
Apt responses in IK's speech referring to Maulana Diesel - When we were kids there were some who wouldnt play or let others play. Maulana Sb either serve your people or atleast let us serve them. SALUTE IK !
I was supporting PMLN. But not after how they reacted negatively to a peace move of IK.
The peace march was against US Drones, why PMLN is so unsettled. Are they complicit with the Drone attacks??
Any kind of good effort for peace shoud be appreciatable.............
Imran Khan mera sara jehan!
best regards adolf
Although IK has dissolved PTI organisations yet the party leadership has succeeded in holding a largely attended peace march.It is time that IK holds elections all tiers of the party and strengthen its organisational structure to convert the support of the masses into electoral success in the next general elections.
I am an Indian and a non-muslim too, so traditionally media and everyone around you woo would put me as an enemy. But a real leader is not the one who finishes the enemies, but the one who finishes enmity. Imran Khan has managed to do that with a lot of Indians like me. Never before has any Pakistani politician been loved and wished well before Imran Khan. As far as I am concerned there is no politician even in India or for that matter through out the world who can match Imran Khan in his honesty, credibility or doubt his execution capability.For the first time in last 10 years have I seen a completely sensible effort in dealing with terrorism. The US approach is to eliminate terrorist (completely unmindful that in process they are creating more than they are eliminating)..Imran Bhai's approach is to eliminate Terrorism and not the terrorist. "Strike at the root and the branches will automatically fall", as said by Buddha! I wish Imran Bhai all the very best...You have to succeed otherwise times are going to be really tough for the entire world. God bless you.
Do know why PMLN is crying ....ohhh yes they know exactly how much this is going to effect in the mainland PUNJAB....Carry on khab haters will hate...You do whats best for the people of this poor country with very rich leaders
The only brave LEADER of Pakistan IMRAN KHAN! Salute!
Losers gonna Lose... Haters gonna Hate... Losers & Haters can never even think of doing in their wildest imaginations, what Imran did.
Bravo........Imran Khan......That is really a brave & optimistic show........
Although I do not agree that targeted drone strikes should stop, I would like to say Well Done Imran Khan!. At least somebody has stood up and actually done something rather than just talking about it. I am seriously starting to like this guy!
"Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah said Imran had just used the name of Waziristan, and it seemed he was on a picnic journey."
I wish you had come Mr. Sanaullah and see for yourself it was no joke and it was no picnic having to travel to all the way to Tank from Islamabad, Lahore and some who even came from Karachi. I salute everyone at PTI for being brave, courageous and having sheer dedication to this cause who made it all the way! The issue has been raised and international media has picked up on this story and full credit goes to IK for raising this issue.
A very Brave step by a very Brave Leader has finaly shown that the Nation of Pakistan is Brave and that future of prosperity and welfare is just around. With Imran Khan my hopes are once again alive.
Maulana saab is feeling the heat...for the first time media has shown people of Waziristan and Taank people crtitcising current ruling govern. and maulana Saab. People can imagine their alienation from the rest of Pkaistan that people dont even know the CM or Governor's name...their Own Mna has not turned up there since last 4 years...forget about development... Yet Maulana Saab and others are seeing Western hands and conspiracies..Sorry to say ...but even alienated people of Fata or parts of KP will not be fooled this time.
I was there.... This statement is bunch of crap...there was armored van which stopped the rally for more than one hour way before Tank... the after about every 2-3 kms they had blocked the road with containers and wasted 30-45 minutes at each spot before moving them.... there was one on a bridge with no vehicle attached to move it away.... PTI Youth pushed it away in matter of few minutes as the security forces were watching from distance...
If the govt. had been supportive as they are claiming now.. the peach march would have reached Kot Kaee by 12pm easily... Its 2:30 hrs max from DI Khan... one can find the pictures of hurdles etc on social media easily....
I'm no PTI supporter, but check Maulana's statement... They must be awfully worried PTI is going to steal all their right-wing voters and he probably is.
The participants in the PTI March may be not more than 4000 as a Western journalist has put it, but the media coverage made it to be watched by over 40 million! Thus it was a good election rally!
We always knew behind the scene PPP & PTI are the same....
Great Brave move by IK and PTI supporters, the people of pakistan appreciate this. PML N is loosing ground and support every day...Panic in there ranks is obvious.
we are sooooo proud of imran khan and loved his patriotic speech at the rally.. may Allah bestow him the power to lead pakistan on the right path and make us a nation proud of calling ourselves pakistanis not ashamed or embarrased as is the case at the moment.. as for the detractors go eat your pants...
I am not a supporter of PTI .But atleast Imran has the guts to atleast try to do what he claims .As far as mocking of PML N is concenrned ,this is simply absurd .Just visist rural Punjab and you will find out how human being are surviving there .And Nawaz Sharif is busy making allinaces in Sindh .Politics thy name is ..............
Mr Kaira ... Please hand over govt to Imran khan or hold early elections if you want imran khan to hold peace talks with taliban .. why taliban will hold talks with IK when he have no authority over anything at the moment ... and for PMLN please use burnol .. Thanks
GO IMRAN KHAN! Haters are gonna hate!
rally was a political drama. Imran needs a large quantity of oxygen to survive.
All is well that ends well. Imran and his supporters returning back safe and sound with no incidence of violence during the entire rally is good news from Pakistan.
Dude, how dumb do they think we really are? First they try tooth and nail to scare people off the rally and to create hurdles, as shown on TV no less. When they fail in these attempts, they suddenly change their tune.
If, god forbid, there had been a bomb attack at the rally, these guys would have said :"We told you so", now that the rally was peaceful, they're trying to take the credit.
Dear Qamar Sahab, if Imran Khan is going to talk to the Taliban then why the heck is our tax money going to you guys. Why dont you resign if you are so helpless ?