Pakistan
TLP and our aim is the same only methods are different, says PM
Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday addressed the nation, a day after over a dozen police officers were taken hostage by the supporters of banned Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), triggering clashes between police and protesters.
In his address, PM said that the unfortunate situation of the last week compelled him to come before people [to provide an explanation].
“Ours is the only country formed in the name of Islam. All of Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) lives in the heart of all of Pakistan. So whenever someone commits blasphemy anywhere in the world, it pains us. Last week it appeared one organization seemed to portray that their own people have more pain than the rest of Pakistan. They want that no one should dare to commit blasphemy anywhere in the world and so do we. We have the same purpose as TLP but our methods are different. My government is trying that blasphemy is not conducted anywhere in the world,” he said.
Imran Khan further stated that government is on the same page with the TLP, however, expelling the ambassador of France is not the solution.
“TLP wants us to cut off relations with France and expel their ambassador. In 1990 Salman Rushdie wrote a book in which he committed blasphemy about our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In Pakistan people came out on the streets and attacked American embassy, people were martyred. Since then every few years the same thing happens again. Has this approach had any effect? TLP is doing the same. My question is, can sending French ambassador will end this? What is the guarantee that no blasphemy will happen again? I understand the west, if we do this, then the same will be done again in some other country in the name of freedom of speech. Will we send their ambassador back too?” he said.
Imran Khan further stressed that sending ambassadors back will not end Islamphobia.
“There are 50 Muslim countries. Nobody there is sending ambassadors back. After a long while, our economy is rising and large scale industry is blooming too. Our people are getting jobs and rupee is becoming stronger. When we end connection with France, we end it with European Union (EU) too. This means half our exports will stop. When textile drops, inflation will rise and rupee will fall too. Evetually, we will suffer not France,” he said.
Prime Minister further stated that since two and a half months government was holding talks with TLP and explaining the same to them.
“They said present it before the parliament to which we agreed. But then we saw that their movement was going on for mobilization to Islamabad. They announced the same and then our dialogue ended and the arrest happened. Let me tell you what happened since then. Till now, 40 police cars have been burnt. Private property has been harmed. Eight policemen were martyred. Over 800 were injured. First day 100 roads were blocked, oxygen was stopped and corona patients could not get it. Our enemies jumped in, we have seen over 70% tweets were from our enemies. Indian messages were circulating on WhatsApp about civil war starting in Pakistan,” he said adding,
“I want to ask Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Fazlur Rehman, when Salman Rushdie wrote the book, Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minsiter, did he even talk about it?”
Referring to his efforts to end Islamphobia, PM said that he talked about Islamophobia at the 14th OIC summit and urged all Islamic countries to collectively make efforts to make the west understand about blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“At the United Nations (UN) I explained Islamophobia again. At the bodies and commissions of UN, my government teams have talked about Islamophobia. I have even written a letter to Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg over this issue. After the France incident I wrote to all the heads of state of Islamic countries. My plan is that together we make the west understand why it pains us that in the guise of freedom of speech, blasphemy hurts us. They don’t understand it. They don’t love their prophets like we do, they are not as religious as we are. Only then will it have an effect.”
“There are only a few Jews in the world, but together they ensured that the holocaust cannot be discussed negatively in the world. There are four countries where you can be put in jail for talking against the holocaust. Why can we not do the same? When we protest, they think Muslims are against freedom of speech. So instead of understanding, they create mischief again.”
“Secondly, if 50 Muslim countries say we will together stop trade, we can reach our purpose. One way is the TLP’s way where we harm our own country. The other way is mine. I will lead the campaign. I will not disappoint my nation. We will make them understand one day that we have hearts too, we feel pain.”
The Prime Minister appealed to the religious scholars of Pakistan and said that violent protests and clashes with the police will only hurt the country.
“In the end, I want to especially address our ulema and say they should join me. This thing is harming our country. Our policemen are lying in hospitals. Indian websites havce jumped in because our nation was harmed. No western country will be affected by our internal protests. We cannot suicide bomb our own country when the crime is committed somewhere else. Our enemies will harm us,” he said.
PM concluded by speech by saying that the third wave of coronavirus is here and urged everyone to follow SOPs.