- Citizens block Khan’s convoy, protest against his ‘apathy’
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday faced the wrath of parents of children martyred in the Peshawar attack after he arrived at the Army Public School (APS) along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak and his new wife Reham Khan to pay homage to the martyrs.
Protesting against Khan’s “hypocrisy and indifferent attitude”, parents blocked Khan’s way by observing a sit in outside APS. However, the police succeeded in providing a safe passage to the PTI chief and his entourage.
“Imran Khan totally ignored the bereaved families and tied the knot with Reham Khan without even waiting for the Chehlum of the martyred children. Our hearts are broken. Our beloved are snatched from us in a brutal way but these rulers are just coming to school for photo sessions. The chief minister abused us and said the school does not belong to us,” said Abid Raza Bangash, father of martyred student Rafiq Raza Bangash, as parents chanted “Go Imran Go” and “Go Khattak Go”, while haggling with the cops trying to clear Khan’s way in the school.
Talking to journalists, Dost Mohmmad, father of martyred eighth grade student Asad Aziz, alleged that the rulers used police against the bereaved families. “Police manhandled us while we were peacefully protesting,” he said.
A mother holding a picture of her martyred son said that “Khan did not care about them”. She said they were regretting voting for Khan and his party in 2013 polls.
“Moving in luxury vehicles, they could not feel our pain. They are enjoying a VVIP lifestyle without having any pain in their hearts for those who lost their sons,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Tufail Khattak, who lost his elder son in December 16 attack, said that the federal and provincial governments did not even bother to contact the bereaved families.
“We need no compensation but these leaders did not even feel the need to contact us. We will not allow the blood of our children to be used for point scoring,” he said.
Muneeb Afridi’s father among several others also participated in the protest and condemned the apathy of PTI leadership towards the bereaved families.
“You were busy getting married without doing anything about my child who died less than a month ago,” said a weeping mother, outside the school, while another parent said the PTI chief had deserted them when they needed him the most.
Urging the PTI chief not to politicise the Peshawar attack, a protester said, “We do not need anyone, whether it’s Imran Khan or Nawaz Sharif. Khan came after a month to visit the school because he was busy with his wedding. He should be ashamed of himself.”
Further, Khan was criticised for not doing anything despite being elected as a member of the National Assembly from the province.
On the other hand, Mushtaq Ghani said that the provincial information minister said those protested in front of APS were sponsored and majority of them had no relationship with the martyred students.
