Report in Dawn, July 24th, 2023
KARACHI: While questioning the policies of the state, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday called for reconsideration of priorities being pursued by the state at a time when terrorist attacks are increasing in the country.
Besides, the former prime minister slammed the caretaker government of Punjab on the treatment being meted out to PTI’s jailed leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed.
In a series of tweets, Mr Khan said that “while the entire state machinery and our intelligence agencies are solely focused on a one-point agenda of dismantling the country’s largest political party, there’s been a drastic surge in terror related incidents across the country”.
Quoting a report from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Counter Terrorism Department, he said that over the last one year, there have been 665 terrorist attacks in KP alone.
“On top of our economic and political crisis the last thing Pakistan wants is, to be again engulfed in terrorism.
There is an urgent need to set our priorities right,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, Mr Khan said that PTI leader Mian Mehmood Ur Rasheed reportedly suffered severe chest pains in jail on Saturday.
Mr Rasheed was taken to the hospital but despite doctors’ advice to keep him under observation, he was forcibly taken back to the jail.
“He — a 70-year-old man with a serious heart condition — has been in jail in this blistering heat for over 75 days,” Mr Khan regretted, adding “he is being subjected to such torture and inhumane behaviour solely for his crime of refusing to renounce PTI.”
The PTI chief urged the judiciary and human rights organisations to take a stand and protect the fundamental rights of citizens.
Mr Rasheed is facing charges of involvement in May 9 attacks.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1766396/terrorism-must-not-revisit-country-pti
