Helicopter crash: Trolling on social media by a party shameful, says ministers

SIALKOT/ ISLAMABAD: Federal ministers Khwaja Muhammad Asif and Marriyum Aurangzeb Saturday condemned the negative social media campaign against those martyred in a helicopter crash a few days ago in Balochistan and termed it as a shameful act on the part of a political party, which was sponsoring such elements.

Defence Minister Kh Asif told a news conference in Sialkot that certain insane quarters had resorted

to derogatory comments Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) youth. It had left the families of military and kin of those martyred in the Lasbela incident deeply anguished and distressed.

He said that the officers martyred in Lasbela were on a mission to help the flood affected people in Balochistan. “The nation is standing behind the institution at this difficult time, but some people are trying to malign the military just to fulfil the Indian agenda,” he added.

Asif alleged that some political figures were behind the negative propaganda against the army. The social media workers were encouraged and being paid regularly for making a negative image of the national institutions, he added. He said the Pakistan Army had offered eternal sacrifices for the country and those should not go unnoticed. Pakistan Army is the guardian of Pakistan’s borders and the nation is proud of their sacrifices, he added. A person who was imposed on the nation in 2018 was trying to drag the establishment into political issues.

The defence minister said that there used to be tolerance in politics, but what kind of society it had become that people were running campaigns against the martyred soldiers. “Do not insult the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the country and the nation,” he warned.

The minister said “nobody should destroy your tradition and culture of tolerance”. He said a person was blaming the institutions after losing power. “These institutions are the protectors of our borders, skies and waters,” he added. To a question, he said it was the responsibility of the law-enforcement agencies to take action against such people.

He said Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali would be remembered in the history of Balochistan with respect as he had established a relationship with the Baloch and Pashtun people.

Separately, Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in Islamabad on Saturday that a political party had launched a negative campaign on the social media after the martyrdom of military officers in a helicopter crash. She said the ruling alliance condemned it in the strongest possible words and paid homage and tribute to the martyred military officers and jawans.

Also, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bezinjo Saturday condemned the negative propaganda flooding the social media over the army’s helicopter crash in Balochistan. “The officers and jawans of Pakistan Army, who are engaged in relief activities from Khyber to the coasts of Balochistan, need encouragement of the nation,” he said in a statement.

“Negative propaganda by certain quarters can damage the country’s integrity,” he added. While expressing his sympathies with the bereaved families, he said “the best officers of the country were separated from us in the helicopter accident”.

“The negative propaganda will increase the grief of the nation and bereaved families,” he said adding that the entire nation was standing with the Pakistan Army.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi condemned the unnecessary controversy generated on the social media on his not attending the funeral prayers of the martyrs, who lost their lives in the military helicopter crash in Balochistan on Aug 1. In a series of tweets, President Alvi wrote: “There is unnecessary controversy on why I did not attend Janaza of the Shaheeds recently. This gives me an opportunity to condemn in unequivocal terms the despicable tweets by those who are neither aware of our culture or our religion.

“When respect for Shahadat is also present in the Quran, how can we desecrate the memory & the sacrifice of those whom Allah has given eternal life? Like all Pakistanis, I have admired the Shuhuda all my life.

“I have called hundreds of families, have attended Janazas and visited them to offer my condolences. On your behalf I consider it my duty to do so. The families have been proud but we all recognise the sad & personal loss in this world.

“It is especially difficult to condole with families where young children are the survivors. When the family members have cried, I have cried. There is no doubt in my mind that Pakistan is safe only because of their ultimate sacrifices. That is what makes me proud of Pakistan,” he concluded.