K-P thanks PTI as PML-N mocks ‘peace march’

Kaira says if Imran Khan will hold talks with Taliban, government would support him in this regard.


Our Correspondent October 08, 2012

PESHAWAR: In what appears to be a change of heart, the government on Sunday insisted it provided “foolproof” security to Imran Khan’s ‘Peace March’ saying that no hurdles were created for the rally.

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)

Iron hand | 11 years ago | Reply

Someone please tell me how you negotiate a settlement with TTP that doesn't result in their taking power.

Salman Ahmed | 11 years ago | Reply

@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!

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