Opposition slams PM's 'aggressive' address as government calls for unity

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of opposition parties in the National Assembly on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan's "aggressive" address to the nation in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the country.

Protesters have taken to the streets and blocked roads in major cities of Pakistan since the apex court on Wednesday ordered the release of Bibi, a Christian woman convicted on blasphemy charges in 2010 and on death row for eight years.

In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Imran Khan supported the top court's "constitutional" decision in the case, and issued a stern warning to protestors against inciting citizens or challenging the writ of the state.

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But opposition lawmakers criticised Imran's "aggressive" tone during what they termed a critical time in terms of the law and order situation in the country.

"I strongly condemn the prime minister's address to the nation. The chief executive of the state should not have said what he did," Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah said, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly.

Criticising the aggressive nature of the prime minister's speech, Shah said it appeared "as though after his address the PM would physically go outside to fight" those inciting hatred.

"Peace will not happen this way," he said.

The veteran PPP leader also slammed PM Imran for "running away" from Parliament at a time when the country was at threat of unrest.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan should have been [here in the Parliament] today. The roads are blocked. People have been restricted to their homes. He should not be running away. The PM and the interior minister should have been present here today," he said.

"We fear the anarchy may spread. We are not talking about [our] vote bank. We should [all] be worried about the state of affairs," he added.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique, voicing similar thoughts, said a ruler's attitude should not be "so aggressive" and the prime minister should have taken the House into confidence over the matter today.

"The same religion card that you used against [the previous] government in the past, is now being used against you," Rafique said while addressing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

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"You used to talk of lockdowns and blocking roads. Now it's being said that blocking the roads is not in the interests of the nation," the PML-N leader remarked.

Rafique said the comments and threats against the national institutions were unacceptable, and he did not want to gain any political advantage at the expense of the situation.

‘Time to unite, not play politics’

Addressing the National Assembly earlier today, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood slammed Khursheed Shah for “playing politics” instead of standing behind Prime Minister Imran Khan in his resolve to keep the writ of the state intact.

“PM Imran Khan is the first ever leader to take [such a] strong stance in Pakistan’s history. Nobody spoke out in the past, Imran Khan addressed [220 million] people with bravery and reaffirmed the writ of the state,” the PTI leader said.

“This is not about the government, this is about the state. Instead of praising the PM’s stance [against the agitators], instead of condemning those who mocked the institutions, you chose to play politics for small gains,” Mahmood addressed Shah.

The minister stressed that it was the government’s responsibility to maintain law and order. “The state’s writ was challenged [yesterday], the law and order situation was challenged. Unfortunately, politics was played on the Supreme Court’s judgment,” he lamented.

Instead of doing politics, this is a very good opportunity to come together, to unite, Mahmood urged.

The PTI leader, referring to PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s statement calling on the National Assembly and other institutions to stand with the Supreme Court, expressed his astonishment that a veteran leader like Khursheed Shah could be saying something so conflicting.