Civil society members concerned over threats to political activists

PESHAWAR: The members of the civil society, students and political workers on Thursday asked the government to work for eliminating threats to leaders instead of limiting their activities that deprive them of their public contacts.

Holding placards inscribed with slogans against the government policies, the protesters led by Nazeef Lala, Taimour Kamal and Radesh Singh, gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club to record their protest.

The protesters demanded the government to ensure security of the Awami National Party (ANP) General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain and other peaceful citizens. They said that the state cannot absolve itself of the responsibility of the citizens’ security by issuing mere threat alerts.

The protesters termed the threat alert a joke, saying that state institutions had acquired complete information about the attacker but could not arrest him. They said it was the state institutions’ responsibility to use such information and tackle threats to citizens, but it had only made the information public and absolved itself of its prime responsibility.

They pointed out that Mian Iftikhar Hussain had been in the forefront in the war against terrorism and the government had acknowledged his role but had not provided him proper security. They said the civil society would hold the state institutions responsible if any harm was done to the ANP leader.

Talking to The News, Taimoor Kamal said that Mian Iftikhar Hussain was not only a politician but also social worker who had always raised voice for the deprived section of the society. “Mian Iftikhar stood behind everyone affected by terrorism and other forms of violence,” he added.

A political worker Nazeef Lala said that issuing threat alerts but not taking action would lead to a dangerous situation, adding, it showed the government’s failure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He alleged that such tactics were being used to disconnect the ANP leader from the Pakhtuns,, including his supporters. He said they had planned to continue the protests rallies but the upcoming Eidul Azha celebration would affect it. However, he said that he would request the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and ANP leadership to devise strategy over such issues.

“I would not only contact the PTM leaders, but ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan and other opposition leaders to convince them to take a stand on the issue,” he said.

Minority rights activist Radesh Singh told The News the situation was getting worse with each passing day. “Political leaders, minority community members and civil society workers were receiving threats while the state had become a silent spectator,” he added.

He said he had received threats during election and was attacked after the polls. “I have shifted my family to Punjab due to the increasing threats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The danger to the lives of minority community members was prevalent everywhere in Pakistan but it was most ‘active’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” he pointed out.

He said their protest was not only for Mian Iftikhar Hussain but against the existing threat to every Pakistani citizen and the shrinking space for the human rights activists in the country.