Look at the history of Punjabi Taliban, they target only innocent people of KP, Baluchistan and Sindh. Why? Do they think in Punjab it has their sponsored government? Or Punjab has become true Muslims according to Punjabi Taliban’s faith and standards? Need some answers here.
Shahbazs plea to spare Punjab`
ANY Pakistani who wants a progressive and developed Pakistan would fully endorse your editorial (March 16) regarding Punjab chief minister`s naked surrender to the Taliban.
One cannot comprehend such capitulation by the ruler of the biggest province.
This hits at the core of anti-extremist consensus, so painstakingly built by our civil society, a section of the media, government and the army.
Moreover, it also delivers a serious blow to the nascent foundations of the newfound provincial harmony. This has exposed the true political philosophy of Punjab`s biggest party, which they have been trying to camouflage since their return to power.
**This statement by junior Sharif, along with the PML-Ns blatant hobnobbing with a banned outfit just to secure a few thousand votes, is a clear reflection of their mindset and regressive agenda. To borrow Kamran Shafis terminology, they represent the Crazy Right whose agenda will not allow Pakistan to move beyond the status quo; rather they would like us to revert to the same sycophantic policies of the 1980s which we are now desperately trying to change.
The PML-N has always been ambivalent in its stance on extremism. They never supported the military action against these elements wholeheartedly and only became part of the national consensus against these forces when no other choice was left to them. This statement proves this fact.**
Never in their interviews have both Sharif brothers aggressively hit at these elements; they have just been paying lip-service.
**Their government in Punjab is in denial about these elements` presence and strength in Punjab. They are reluctant to crack down on them; rather they are legitimising them by soliciting their support in elections.
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This policy is extremely detrimental to Pakistan. The PML-N will be well advised to rethink this and come out decisively against these elements.
**With their sole focus on presidential powers, opposition to the NWFPs renaming, reservations on the abolition of the concurrent list, and opposing many provincial autonomy proposals, the PML-N was already on the wrong side of the smaller provinces. ** **Now add to this mix the chief ministers begging of the Taliban to spare Punjab, and other provinces suspicions about the PML-N get reinforced. This shows a Punjab-centric and a regressive approach hindering change in status quo. This is not worthy of a party which harbours aspirations to govern the whole of Pakistan. ** The Punjab CMs statement is an insult to thousands of our jawans and officers who are laying down their lives in the mountains and valleys of Swat, Waziristan, and Bajur, just to keep us safe from Taliban murderers.
Sharif`s words are disrespectful to the thousands of innocent victims who embraced martyrdom or were maimed by Taliban terror in our towns and villages.
Shahbaz Sharif must apologise to the families of the terror victims.
MUHAMMAD ASIF
Lahore