Khwaja Hoti asks govt to withdraw diplomatic mission

PESHAWAR: Urging the Muslim countries to raise a unanimous voice against the massacre of Rohingya Muslims, leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti Wednesday asked the government to call back diplomatic mission from Myanmar as protest.

He called for immediate stripping of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi of the Nobel Peace Prize for keeping mum over the massive human rights violations in Myanmar.Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, he said the Muslim rulers should follow Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdugan by announcing support to the Muslims in Myanmar instead of remaining silent spectators.

Flanked by his supporters including Raham Bacha Sherpao, Raza Khan, Anwar Bahader and others, he said that out of the total 50 million population of Myanmar, 1.2 million were Muslims.

“The minority Muslims in Myanmar are being killed and their houses torched but the Muslim world and so-called champions of human rights have not expressed concern over the atrocities,” he added.

The PPP leader also condemned the US President Donald Trump’s tirade against Pakistan, saying that Trump should have raised voice against the injustices in Myanmar, Kashmir and Afghanistan instead of browbeating Pakistan. “I am unable to understand as to why Trump is not speaking against the terrorists operating from Afghanistan and why is he silent over the injustices against Muslims in Kashmir and Burma,” he added.

Khwaja Hoti observed that war was being fought in Afghanistan for the last 30 years but only Pakhtuns were killed on both sides of the border. The problem, he said, could be resolved through political dialogue instead of the use of force. He asked the human rights organisations and media to come forward and jointly raise voice for Muslims in Myanmar and against the oppressors.

Khwaja Hoti, who is also a former federal minister, announced to lead a protest rally in Mardan against the atrocities in Myanmar. He urged the political parties to launch a joint protest movement against the Myanmar government for the brutalities against the Muslims.

He also blasted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government for its failure to control dengue outbreak in the province. “The virus has now reached Mardan after Peshawar and the situation could get out of control there if timely steps are not taken to overcome it,” he added.

He said that people were dying from dengue in Peshawar but the ministers concerned were enjoying luxuries in Nathiagali. Khwaja Hoti also criticized the provincial government for refusing assistance from Punjab government. “The provincial government should have accepted the humanitarian assistance from Punjab instead of doing politics over the issue,” he argued. He said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would soon visit Mardan. The people would accord him historic welcome and leaders and workers from various parties would join the PPP.