Chairman PTI Imran Khan along with Chief minister K-P Pervez Khattak talking to media. PHOTO: ONLINE
PESHAWAR: Words of sympathy, condolence, or just any reaction from the provincial government came at least four hours after the city mourned its worst attack on non-Muslims.
While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership was in Islamabad for its central executive committee meeting, coalition partners in the government chose to maintain their silence during this time.
After Chief Minister Pervez Khattak arrived from Islamabad, close to 5pm, he strongly condemned the incident and termed the attacks ‘‘a crime against humanity.’’
Khattak expressed solidarity and sympathy with Christians of the city. “People and the government have stood before and will keep standing by the side of our Christian brothers in this time of difficulty to share their grief,” he said.
Khattak directed authorities of the health department and management of the Lady Reading Hospital to provide the best possible facilities for treatment of the injured victims. A complete inquiry into the incident was also ordered. Information Minister Shah Farman, on the other hand, assured the PTI-led government’s efforts to battle unrest, saying: “The government is taking all possible steps to maintain peace and stability in the region through efforts to bring peace through dialogue. This can never be sabotaged.” Political parties should not play politics at such a time as the government will never succumb to any pressure, he added.
Statements expressing support from politicians poured in as the death toll mounted.
Provincial minister Sirajul Haq, from the Jamaat-e-Islami, also expressed his sympathies with the victims and directed law enforcement authorities to arrest those involved in the heinous crime. “We will give them exemplary punishment so that this is not repeated in the future,” said the minister. Haq also added all steps would be taken to protect minorities and their religious places.
Provincial head of JI, Professor Muhammad Ibrahim, and JI chief Munawar Hassan also condemned the incident and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of valuable human lives.
As Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan conveyed heartfelt grief on the tragic incident, former provincial information minister and the party’s Information Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, also strongly condemned the bomb blasts and appealed to the government to provide maximum assistance to victims.
Hussain, who himself visited the blast site and later the hospital, strongly criticised the PTI-led government for the absence of officials from the scene as there was no one there to console the victims.
Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said minorities must be given security and their worship places should be protected to ensure such a tragic incident does not happen in the future.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Fredrick Azeem, questioned,“What was the fault of our people, what had they done?” Azeem was also irked by the absence of officials from the site as theyonly condemned the incident from the sidelines.
@Mashaalradio: We are hopeless and helpless. Our future in Pakistan is very dark.
Radio Mashaal RFE, a Pashto radio service
I played outside this church all my school life and not a single stone thrown at it but now it's seems the world has changed for the worst
— Haroon Rashid (@TheHaroonRashid) September 22, 2013
JI chief munawwar Hasan says Peshawar blast due to delay in dialogue. Wah!! #PeshawarChurchBlast
— Fahd Husain (@Fahdhusain) September 22, 2013
Deplorable. Apeasement has emboldoned terrorists.Twin church blasts claims 61 lives in Peshawar http://t.co/Gwh3L5Cww6
— zahid Hussain (@hidhussain) September 22, 2013
https://twitter.com/u_fakhr/status/381754997819838464
'My brother lost 3 children who were visiting the Church. They youngest was in his mother's lap', A Christian Woman #PeshawarChurchBlast
— Samar MinAllah Khan (@SamarMinallahKh) September 22, 2013
Condolences from me & my family to the ones who lost their lives today. #PeshawarChurchBlast
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) September 22, 2013
You don't have to be Pakistani to love Pakistan. Today I grieve for the country as though it was my homeland #PeshawarChurchBlast #Ahmadiyya
— Fiona (@Elizabeth_1889) September 22, 2013
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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Has everybody heard the name of another hospital dealing with such aftermaths of patients/injuries except Lady Reading Hospital ?
Can anybody ask those point scorers who encashed this moment as well for their political motives and bashing the government that for the last 5 years how many hospitals like LRH they have constructed to face the magnitude of people being effected as a result of such terrorism ?
What positive initiatives had they adopted to raise the manpower of hospitals ?
When you are pointing to someone, the four fingers automatically point to yourselves.
Therefore, people are facing the outcomes of previous governments negligence !
the worst news reporting :) dont block my comment
and what do you say about this Mr. IK....insaaf sab key liey (excpet Ahmadies, Shias, Hindus and Christians)
http://tribune.com.pk/story/607912/ahmadi-persecution-police-bow-to-clerics-to-tear-down-minarets/
Imran Khan was the ONLY national leader who went there. But no one asks why Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar didn't feel the necessity to reach that place?
...........and too irrelevent.
Media apearence in times of crisis...what does that mean.
Imran Khan has a share in these continuing acts of violence. He lends oblique justifications to them and has continually worked at weakening any resolve to act against the perpetrators.
Where does it say that you have to be on "TV" within few minutes of some incident? As for ANP leaders, all of us know they have nothing else to do since they are no more in Govt, instead of overseeing & helping out to ease the situation they were infuriating the crowd present at the hospital.
Can't remember Asfandyar Wali visiting the victims' families after 'ANY' blast in Peshawar at least in the final few years of his tenure.
Its such a shame that the attention is now on which party condemns first, which one reaches first... who's the one who cries the loudest.. bla bla bla....
Kudos to Mr Mian Iftikhar Hussain for going to the scene of the bombing and mourning with the families of the victims. He himself has lost his only son to terror and that brings him to a unique position from where he really knows what it's like to lose someone to such cowardly and unprovoked attacks.
It is a shameful and sad day for all of us who belong to K-P, what has happened to our people, we the Pukhtuns never thought of killing innocent people, it is the height of cowardice and yes they are cowards who send these misguided young people to go and kill others in the name of God. What has happened to the Pukhtun chivalry, are they so proud to kill innocent children, women and men, I say these people are the scum of the earth and there is nothing Islamic about them. Enough is enough and it is time to take stern actions and put this negotiations mantra on the back burner. They don't have the upper hand, they think they do , the State has to decide once for all to eradicate this menace from our society, don't play politics with the lives of innocent people.
Since there was a competition in Peshawar as who reached first to the blast site... Imran Khan was the "OnlY" Political party head to be in Peshawar.. any Extra points?
Simple is that, Terrorist should be wiped out....We have military and the military has the capability and also agreed to wipe them out....Now who is making a delay. its a feared PM who can not dare to make a bold step
I cant understand the obsession with an immediate media appearance after a tragedy. I don't understand whats wrong with a 5pm press briefing by CM KPK. Afterall his first responsibility is not to the journalists but to the people. If the politicians who made prompt media appearances were what people wanted they would've voted for the likes of Rehman Malik.