Efforts underway to use Peshawar blast as pretext for postponing by-polls: PTI

ISLAMABAD: Strongly condemning the suicide blast at a mosque in Peshawar, which claimed 34 lives, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central information secretary Farrukh Habib on Monday regretted that “the blood of the martyrs is yet to get dried, some quarters have already started working to build a narrative to delay by-elections under the pretext of fragile law and order.”

Talking to journalists, he said that despite such a big tragedy which claimed several lives, a propaganda has been launched to build a specific narrative to postpone the by-elections in view of the precarious security situation in the country.

“A narrative is being built that the law and order situation is not conducive for holding elections, but I want to ask what’s the issue in Punjab as there is no terrorism in Punjab,” he questioned.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the other senior party leadership also condemned the cowardly terrorists attack in Peshawar in the strongest possible terms and expressed sympathies with the family of the martyrs.

In his message, the PTI chief strongly condemned the suicide attack and said that his prayers are with the bereaved families, adding, “It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering and properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism.”

PTI secretary general Asad Umar said that the attack at the mosque was regrettable and condemnable and added that with the growing economic crisis in the country, an alarming upsurge in terrorism was also witnessed.

Dr Shireen Mazari said that the suicide bomber who managed to get access to a central area of the provincial capital was sadly another intelligence failure.

“Our police are frontline defenders against terrorists, especially in urban areas and need better resources including equipment,” she added.

About the case against Fawad Chaudhry, she appealed the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of what is being done to Chaudhry, saying “where else can we turn when the state itself violates the constitution”.

She said that when state institutions and government become complicit in terrorizing critics and political leaders and carry out violations of the constitution, fundamental rights and laws, then the nation looked to the CJP to take suo motu action.

Mazari stated that “Munshis or clerks” and their string pullers were on a vicious vengeful course against Chaudhry because he called them out on their reality.

“Now they are going to “search” the place where he and his family live in ICT,” she added.

She raised the question that legally, he did not commit sedition so why no suo motu by the apex court on abuse of state power, adding the way his judicial remand was reverted to physical remand and he was handed back to police (covertly to agencies as his whereabouts became unknown) shows clear mala fide intent to inflict custodial torture on him.

“Munshis and their string pullers are ruthless,” she maintained.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023