–PM addresses nation, says reaction of small segment on Aasiya Bibi verdict inappropriate
–Those inciting people against judges, army doing disservice to country, asserts premier
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has appealed the nation to remain vigilant against those who incite violence, warning that the state will take action against the violators to fulfil its duty of protecting the people.
“The state will fulfill its responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of people and take strict action against violators.” the premier said while addressing the nation on TV and radio on Wednesday.
He also said the reaction on the Supreme Court (SC) decision in Aasiya Bibi case by a small segment of society was inappropriate.
“Pakistan is the only country in the world that was created on the name of Islam, after Medina. It means there will be no law against the teachings of Islam in the country,” he said, adding that the language used against the SC judges, army chief and other important personalities is intolerable. Pakistan will become a great nation by following the golden principles of state of Medina, he told the nation.
“We do not have any law against the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, and the judges decide the cases according to the Constitution of the country,” the prime minister said.
The premier said I believe a persona cannot be a Muslim unless he has a deep love for the personality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He said Pakistan was the only country in the Islamic world that vociferously raised the issue of blasphemous caricatures in the Netherlands.
He said, “We do not make mere statements. We take practical steps and have stood for the cause of Islam.”
“Pakistan talked to the Dutch ambassador, raised the issue at OIC forum and also spoke at the United Nations against the blasphemy. Due to our successful diplomacy, the European Court of Human Rights also said that blasphemy is different from freedom of expression,” he stated.
Imran Khan said those who are inciting the people against judges, army and state institutions are doing a disservice to the country and Islam.
“To say the judges are susceptible to killing, the army chief is a non-Muslim and to ask the army and the generals to rebel, is unacceptable,” the premier made it clear.
He also took a serious note of the offensive speeches by some religious leaders, who were provoking the people against the judges and for mutiny against the senior generals. He mentioned the numerous sacrifices of the personnel of the armed forces in the war against terror and said to term anyone non-Muslim was intolerable.
He said the country is already in the grip of a financial crisis and the cabinet is working day and night to ameliorate the things. PM Khan said the attitude of coming to streets against the verdicts of the top court that are not according to someone’s wishes is not right.
He said the protests will cause damage to the fragile national economy and the people, adding that the military forces have played a key role in eradicating the menace of terrorism by giving huge sacrifices in this struggle.
PM Khan also asked the inciters not to mislead the people. He said, “We will be forced to act if the roads are blocked and the lives and property of the people are put at stake.”
“Do not test the patience of the state,” Imran Khan said and vowed to protect the lives and property of the people at all costs.