Govt, PTI trade barbs over ‘anti-martyrs campaign’

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif Sunday condemned the social media campaign against the martyrs of Pakistan as an anti-state act and enmity with the country.

In a post on his X handle, the defence minister said PTI’s alleged involvement in the smear campaign against the martyrs and forces was a reflection of “anti-state attitude”.

Referring to the previous PTI-led government policy to strike a ceasefire deal with the TTP, Asif said: “Who brought thousands of terrorists from Afghanistan to Pakistan [and] kept explaining the benefits of their return in the National Assembly.” He also questioned why terrorism in the country witnessed a surge following the removal of the PTI government. “Identify the enemies. Loyalty to Pakistan is conditioned to power,” he added.

Separately, Kh Asif said militants were using Afghanistan’s soil to carry out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. “Terrorism against us is mostly being conducted from Afghanistan,” he said while speaking to the media in Sialkot on Sunday. He said some facilitators of terrorists had been traced and Pakistan raised the issue with the Afghanistan government, according to Radio Pakistan.

Asif also reiterated that “those people [foreign nationals] who do not have valid documents would not be allowed to live in Pakistan”.

Without naming the PTI, the defence minister said those behind the social media campaign against martyrs must be “linked with terrorists”. He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI is in power, is the most affected province by terrorism.

Information Minister Ata Tarar claimed on Sunday the PTI social media team was behind the accounts attacking the Pakistan Army and the soldiers who were martyred in North Waziristan a day earlier, warning of action against them. He said Pakistan Army, the police and people had made sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

“I condemn the insulting social media campaign launched by a political party against the martyrs and their sacrifices,” he said, adding such behaviour was intolerable and people behind the campaign had been identified.

Urging the nation to come together for national unity and security, the minister said some “red lines should not be crossed”, stressing that those who run such campaigns would be identified and brought to justice through legal action. “A list of such account holders is being prepared,” added Tarar.

He said many of the social media accounts were being operated outside Pakistan and followers of the accounts also reside in Pakistan. “Those who mock the sacrifices of the martyrs do not deserve any concession. Criticise politics a hundred times but don’t do this against martyrs,” he urged. “Insulting and mocking the martyrs is not acceptable under any circumstances.”

The minister said: “Those who humiliate our martyrs are enemies of the country. Where does the courage to insult these martyrs come from? Pakistan comes first, and only if the country exists, do politics and politicians exist.”

The information minister said the government paid homage to the sacrifices made by the martyrs in the Waziristan incident. The Pakistan Army is the “guarantor of our survival” and the humiliation of martyrs would not be tolerated, he said.

Responding to the government allegations, PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser Sunday censured the federal ministers for accusing his party of running an “insulting campaign” against the martyrs of Pakistan Army and security forces personnel, terming it a “misleading propaganda” against the PTI. “Khawaja Asif and Ata Tarar’s misleading propaganda about the Pakistan Army’s martyrs is regrettable,” Qaiser said while speaking to journalists.

He emphasized that politicising the martyrdom of soldiers for personal gain is detrimental to the nation’s interests, reiterating the party’s unwavering support for the armed forces.

Barrister Saif also vehemently refuted the accusations, saying the PTI had consistently honoured the sacrifices made by soldiers safeguarding the nation’s borders. He said the PMLN ministers were exploiting the martyrs for political mileage.

Separately, a PTI spokesperson Sunday strongly condemned the alleged use of martyrs by ministers for cheap and nefarious political interests. “Martyrs are our heroes and the common asset to the nation without any political or group divisions. Those who desecrate the martyrs are the real culprits,” he added.

Attacks on the armed forces and its martyrs have been a tradition of Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and his courtiers, he charged and alleged Kh Asif and Ata Tarar were among those who were rejected by people but they were brought to the house by open robbery on the mandate.

The prime minister, he emphasised, should remove his ministers and stop those who hurt the sentiments of the families of martyrs and the nation by making them the fuel of their politics.

Meanwhile, funeral prayers for Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali and Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar, who were martyred in Mir Ali, North Waziristan district, while defending their motherland against the scourge of terrorism, were offered at the Chaklala Garrison Rawalpindi on Sunday.

President Asif Ali Zardari, foreign minister, interior minister, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC), chief of army staff (COAS), senior serving military and civil officers, relatives of Shuhada and locals of the area attended the funeral prayers.

The president said the Pakistan Army had consistently upheld the ideals of faith, unity and discipline of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said guided by these enduring principles, the Pakistan Army had always endeavoured to set higher benchmarks of professionalism and loyalty in its unrelenting fight against terrorism.

“The noble sacrifice stands as another glorious testament to the unflinching resolve of our gallant sons, who have never hesitated to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the defence of our motherland. The whole nation stands in solidarity with our armed forces,” he said.

The bodies of Shuhada have been taken to their native hometowns, where they would be laid to rest with full military honour.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also strongly condemned the attack on Mir Ali check post, stating that the nation assures that such a cowardly act would be dealt with a strong response that the enemy would remember forever. He said now was not the time for the enemy to attack and for us to only condemn silently. He said the way the enemy was attacking, a strong response would be given. The entire nation was united in the war against terrorism and stands with the Pakistan Army.

He said Lieutenant Colonel Kashif Ali, Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar and other soldiers were heroes of the nation and the Pakistani nation salutes its brave soldiers.