LAHORE: Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East and Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has said May 9 is the blackest day of the national history as defence installations and monuments of martyrs were burnt by the miscreants on this day.
Talking to the media after visiting the Jinnah House [Lahore corps commander’s house] here on Sunday, he said that attack on military installations and buildings was an attack on the solidarity of the country. He said that the Jinnah House is a symbol of Pakistan’s honour.
He termed the destruction and burning of army buildings, statues of Shuhada, symbols of Shuhada, tanks, army vehicles and other installation more severe attack than any other incident against the country. He said the enemy of Pakistan used Pakistani citizens on May 9 and did what the enemy was unable to do directly.
He said that the attackers were well organised and they were being guided by someone as they did not even spare a mosque situated on the premises of the Jinnah House, adding that the terrorists who attacked the Jinnah House did not appear to be even Muslims.
Ashrafi said that the terrorists involved in attacking the GHQ, Jinnah House, symbols of Shuhada and other installations appeared to be well trained. He said that there should be no ifs and buts in condemnation of the terrorist activities carried out on May 9. He said that every person who was involved in the terrorism on that day should be brought to justice regardless of his or her relationship with any personality.
He demanded for establishment of a court for summary trials and on-the-spot punishment to terrorists. He said that if Pakistan Army was attacked, then surely army courts should hear the cases, adding that the situation of the civil courts was not hidden from people of Pakistan.
Commenting on statements about violation of human rights, he questioned whether the policemen and soldiers, who were killed or beaten up by terrorists, did not have any rights. He said that the country and Pakistan Army is the red line of the nation, so terrorists, who attacked the country and the Pak Army could not be spared at any cost.
He saluted Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir and the leadership of Pakistan Army for their patience as, he added, if the army had retaliated on the day, several precious lives could been lost. He said that political workers did not burn mosques, boards of Kalma Tayyaba and homes.
He said the terrorists, in fact, helped India as it was an attempt to divert focus of the world from the Indian conspiracy under which India was holding a G20 meeting in the disputed territory of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) which was illegal according to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
The PM’s representative said that Pakistan was a hurdle in the way of Indian attempt of holding of G20 meeting at the IIOJK, and several countries including China and Saudi Arabia had decided not to participate in the G20 meeting to be held in Srinagar (IIOJK).
“It is unfortunate that we are talking about the fire at our on homeland instead of discussing the G20 and success of the country,” he added.
He hoped that the country would be more strengthened after the incident and all conspiracies would be foiled.
Discussing the statements of the US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad about the internal affairs of Pakistan, he reacted that Zalmay was a traitor of his own nation, adding that how come he discuss about Pakistan and its army?
He said that the nation could understand from where terrorists were getting support, when people like Zalmay Khalilzad and the US senators or members of parliament would speak against Pakistan or its army. “We cannot allow any senator or diplomat to interfere in our internal matters,” he added.
To a question, he said that if the institutions were silent in love of their own people, then this silence should not be considered as a weakness.
To a question about ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or its chairman Imran Khan, he said that parties, individuals or leadership was not more important than the country and the state; therefore, action should be taken regardless of the personality if found guilty after comprehensive investigation.
He said the entire nation was standing behind its forces and millions of people were expressing solidarity with the Pakistan Army.
Replying to a question about elections, he questioned that if elections were not held according to someone’s wishes, if they would burn the army installations. He said elections would be held when the time would come.