Kifayatullah says that on one hand, government allowed Tahirul Qadri to paralyse Islamabad for three days, while a justifiable protest in Peshawar was dispersed using force. PHOTO: AFP
The issue, which has gripped the provincial capital for the past week, was raised in the assembly session on Friday by Awami National Party (ANP) lawmaker Saqibullah Khan Chamkani, following the assembly’s question hour.
In his speech, Chamkani informed the assembly the five family members killed in Bara hailed from Sheikhan village, which falls in his constituency, adding the deceased were family members of an ANP worker. He identified them as, Junaid, 9, Abdul Khaliq 14, Hazrat Ali 16, Minhaj 22 and Abdul Jalil 65. The sole surviving member of this family, Shabir, is employed in the paramilitary.
“Those nations inevitably fall, whose populace hates their security apparatus,” Chamkani said, adding the fall of Nazi Germany came at the hands of its security apparatus and the Soviet Union due to KGB.
He questioned whether the nation had forgotten the fall of Dhaka and pointed out that people of Balochistan fear their protectors. “People fear the security apparatus and this fear will be detrimental for this country,” Chamkani remarked. He demanded an independent investigation into the killings.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUIF) lawmaker Mufti Kifayatullah pointed out that on one hand, the government allowed Tahirul Qadri to paralyse Islamabad for three days, while a justifiable protest in Peshawar was dispersed using force.“It seems there are separate rules for Quetta, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar,” he said.
He added that tribesmen were killed by security personnel and security apparatus was such a sacred cow that no one could utter a word about it.
Qaumi Watan Party parliamentary leader Sikandar Sherpao, also demanded an inquiry into the killings and said those responsible should be dealt with strictly. He said protesting was everyone’s right and asked the government to explain who ordered use of force against peaceful protesters.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Javed Abbasi asked the K-P government to explain its position on the issue.
K-P Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain termed the killings as untoward and said the provincial government also supports investigation and condemns killings. He said what happened in Bara was outside the provincial government’s purview; however, the issue was amicably resolved when the governor and jirga held talks.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.
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