The Punjab Forum on Thursday bitterly criticised repeated statements of the interior minister for dubbing Punjab as hub of terrorists.
The accusations of the Interior Minister Rehman Malik are a desperate bid to hide his failures and disappointments of allies of the central government, it said.
The masses as well as the Supreme Court view the continued violence in Karachi and Quetta as failure of the provincial and federal governments, while Mr. Malik has been conveniently seeking refuge in passing on the buck to the Punjab, said Baig Raj, President Punjab Forum.
He said that shifting blame on non-existent Punjabi Taliban could not absolve Mr. Malik of his responsibility and the fact that he has failed miserably in ensuring safety and life and property of ordinary masses.
He added that Federal government is trying to take advantage of the issue of Punjabi Taliban to get benefit in the upcoming general elections for which they are sacrificing provincial harmony.
Baig Raj said that the tone of the highly questionable repeated statements by the Interior Minister are not acceptable to saner elements of the country as these can only fan sectarian hatred and pit provinces against each other which is height of incompetence.
He added that terrorists are enemy of the humanity, they deserve no mercy and they are not Punjab or non-Punjabi but Mr. Malik has been flouting logic by struggling to give sectarian dimensions to the issue to evade responsibility.
Baig Raj said that Punjab Government will never shelter terrorists and central government has many security agencies on its disposal to launch an operation if there is a will to do so.
Issuing statements and avoiding action contradicts statements of interior minister who seems not interested in curbing menace of terrorism but complicating the issue, he said.
“Mr. Malik whose security skills are confined to jamming mobile phone services, should not confine his startling revelations to the inhuman bombings to tell the nation who is behind merciless killings in Karachi taking place since years”, demanded Baig Raj.
Why an operation has not been launched against terrorists if Mr. Malik is so sure about the involvements of certain group of terrorists behind the bombings, he asked.
The Interior Minister has also been highlighting the issue of religious seminaries in Punjab producing terrorists since long but he is silent on the role of religious institutions in other parts of the country, he observed.
Baig Raj said that terrorism is a serious issue that is being misused for political point scoring, speaking on behalf of western powers and putting whatever credibility one has on the stake to please foreign masters.
Anti-Pakistan forces are spreading hatred against Punjab, Punjabies are peace-loving people and want peace and prosperity all over the country, he said adding that Rehman Malik is playing ain the hands of some anti-Pakistan forces. He should take his remarks back if he claims to be a true Pakistani.
He said that a merciless military operation in Karachi and Balochistan with no political involvement could improve situation
