Syed Ali Geelani’s death a huge loss, says Khattak

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Friday the death of veteran Kashmir liberation movement leader Syed Ali Geelani was a huge loss to the people of Kashmir.

“Syed Ali Geelani was a towering figure of the Kashmir independence movement. His mission will continue till the liberation of Kashmir,” he said while speaking at various gatherings in his hometown.

National Assembly Standing Committee Chairman on Energy and Natural Resources Dr Imran Khattak, Ishaq Khattak and other ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members were present on the occasion.

Talking about the recent developments in neighbouring Afghanistan, the defence minister said the Afghan issue could be resolved only through talks, not war. He said this had been the stance of Prime Minister Imran Khan since day one.

The defence minister was critical of the opposition political parties mode of politics. He believed that the masses had rejected the opposition politics keeping in view the challenges the country was facing. Pervez Khattak accused Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of pursuing politics to further the personal interests of own leaders.

He accused the PDM leaders of doing nothing for the welfare of the people when they were in power in the past, saying they could have performed well if they had the sincerity of purpose. Pervez Khattak advised the opposition political parties to work for protecting the interests of the country instead of making efforts, in vain, to save the skins of their leaders who, he alleged, had a tainted record.

He came down hard on the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman after accusing them of promoting the politics of agitation and long marches.

The defence minister said the opposition parties should play a positive role inside the parliament by taking part in law-making and work for the weal of those who had elected them to the parliament.

Pervez Khattak resolved to continue working for the development of his home district of Nowshera as its people had always posed trust in him and his family members by sending them to assemblies multiple times in elections from time to time.