News Desk |
A man threw ink on Foreign minister (FM) Khawaja Asif on Saturday in Sialkot when he was addressing a PML-N workers’ convention. The man who threw ink at the FM was beaten up by the PML-N workers before he was handed over to the law enforcement agencies.
Khawaja Asif, however, forgave the man and ordered to immediately release him, saying “someone gave him some money and sent him to throw ink at me but release him because I don’t have any enmity with him”.
He further said that this incident did not affect his politics as he is loved by many. “This incident doesn’t affect my politics because there are still thousands of people praying for me,” said the FM.
Shoe Attack on Nawaz Sharif
A day after ink attack on Khawaja Asif, ex. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif who was invited by a religious seminary in Lahore was attacked by man who threw a shoe at him. The attacker was arrested and taken to an unidentified place by the police.
The ousted PM, however, delivered a shorter version of his speech. He thanked the organizers and said some words of prayer for the deceased cleric, Mufti Mohammad Hussain Naeemi.
Read more: Shoe and Ink attacks: Society’s descent into violence
It is pertinent to mention here that prior to these two incidents a similar thing happened with a senior PML-N leader when a shoe was hurled at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal during a recent PML-N workers’ convention.
Condemnations
Opposition political parties, journalists and political commentators have condemned the incident and expressed their severe reservation on the way politics was moving on in Pakistan.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan condemned the incident and stated that it was unacceptable to throw shoes at politicians. “Throwing shoes is not acceptable. It shouldn’t happen,” he stated.
In a Twitter message Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said that “it was regrettable that PML-N’s policies have turned the people against the party to the extent that they [the nation] have resorted to such antics”.
یہ ایک انتہائی غلط روش ہے جسکی تحریک انصاف سخت مذمت کرتی ہے۔ افسوس کہ مسلم لیگ کی پالیسیوں نے عوام کو اس قدر اسکے خلاف کردیا ہے کہ اب عوام ہماری روایات اور طور طریقوں سے ہٹ کر سیاستدانوں کا منہ کالا اور جوتا مار رہے ہیں۔ یہ ہمارے لئے بحیثیت قوم ایک لمحہ فکریہ ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/FRu98B5wnI
— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 11, 2018
Pakistan people’s Party Sherry Rehman also condemned the incient. In a twitter message she said:
Absolutely condemnable! Ink and shoe-throwing debase the political environment and degrade public values https://t.co/qYGEp3oFzR
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 11, 2018
Journalist Talat Hussain said: “Ink attack on Khawaja Asif and shoe attack on Nawaz Sharif. It is getting dirtier and desperate by the day. Now no one will be safe. This is the new ploy. Very very sad”.
Ink attack on Khawaja Asif and shoe attack on Nawaz Sharif. It is getting dirtier and desperate by the day. Now no one will be safe. This is the new ploy. Very very sad.
— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) March 11, 2018
Jamaat-e-Islaami Ameer Sirajul Haq condemned the act. He said that this incident was absolutely deplorable and went against the code of conduct Islam demands to follow.
Confession of the Attacker
In a video message the man who attack Khawaja Asif has admitted that his act was driven by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) attempt to amend the Khatm-e-Nabuwat clause in the Elections Act 2017. The attacker also said that he did not belong to any religious organization. He was unhappy because the ruling party tried to pervert the Khatm-e-Nabuwat law, he said. “I committed the act as a reaction to Muslim League’s attempt at amending Khatm-e-Nabuwat law,” said the attacker.
“Khawaja Asif is” he added, “a close aide of Nawaz Sharif, the man who tried to change the law to please the West”.
Addressing Why question
It is important to point out that these actions of individuals against politicians are not a reflection of Pakistan’s mainstream politics as pointed out by Dr. Moeed Pirzada in a tweet.
Every sane person should condemn this! Also note attacker was some sort of religious & sectarian fanatic and not representing any mainstream politics.. https://t.co/csL4UsarcH
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) March 10, 2018
Religiously motivated men are protesting against the ruling party for some known politicoreligious reasons.
PML-N is apparently being targeted by the religiously motivated for what it had done to bring changes in Khatm-e-Nabuwat clause. Moulana Khadin Rizvi-led religious party is critical of the ruling party for hanging Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer. Later on, in Faizabad Dharna Moulana Rizvi made it clear that he would leave no stone unturned to enforce Sharia’h in the country.
Read more: Are Pakistani politicians dancing with Perkin’s hitmen?
PML-N needs to work on lessening public anger by involving other political parties in the process. Establishing conspiracy theories to blame rival political parties for the public anger as has been done by some of senior PML-N leaders is not something appreciable.
It is also worth mentioning here that an FIR should be registered against those who tortured the ink-attacker in Sialkot. Growing trends of mob justice will ultimately make violence a norm in our society. Therefore, the ruling party is required to take action not only against the attackers but also against those who tortured these attacker publicly. This will send a message of rule of law across the country.