Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak is being criticised for his insensitive statement on the Sialkot tragedy wherein he said that emotions and anger among young people led to the killing of the Sri Lankan national, and it was not a big deal.
While talking to the media, in Peshawar on Sunday, he said that young people are often unable to control their sentiments which leads to fights and even ‘murder’. He added that he too was very emotional when he was youthful and would have done anything in the name of religion.
He was responding to a question by a reporter, who asked the minister's opinion on the link between the Sialkot incident and the government's recent deal with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP). Khattak responded by saying that the incident cannot be linked to the government's decision to lift the ban on the outlawed TLP as it was the result of heightened passion among youngsters over a religious issue.
He then questioned the media's roles in shaping narratives, saying that anchors should educate young people about their religion and guide them. He added that the media engaged in making money and attacking the governments while ignoring important issues such as education, healthcare, and religion.
The statement by the minister generated strong criticism from people on social media.
https://twitter.com/mfchaudhryy/status/1467517370726068232?s=24
One social media user asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to dismiss Khattak for the insensitive statement.
https://twitter.com/zfebrahim/status/1467554023834374149
Politician Bushra Gohar said that Khattak should be ‘tried for justifying the barbaric Sialkot mob lynching’.
https://twitter.com/BushraGohar/status/1467752846284185603
Another user said that the rot was top-down.
https://twitter.com/_Priyansha__/status/1467687382451253248
https://twitter.com/BandhiniF/status/1467738547494928385
One netizen said the minister issued the statement to appease “future allies TLP”.
https://twitter.com/AatifAzio1/status/1467521231603871760
https://twitter.com/ArbabGM/status/1467707127078821890
Earlier, on Friday, a mob in Sialkot brutally murdered a Sri Lankan man and set his body on fire over blasphemy allegations. Priyantha Kumara, the export manager of a private factory, was attacked by workers of the factory on Wazirabad road in Sialkot.
While talking to the media, in Peshawar on Sunday, he said that young people are often unable to control their sentiments which leads to fights and even ‘murder’. He added that he too was very emotional when he was youthful and would have done anything in the name of religion.
He was responding to a question by a reporter, who asked the minister's opinion on the link between the Sialkot incident and the government's recent deal with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP). Khattak responded by saying that the incident cannot be linked to the government's decision to lift the ban on the outlawed TLP as it was the result of heightened passion among youngsters over a religious issue.
He then questioned the media's roles in shaping narratives, saying that anchors should educate young people about their religion and guide them. He added that the media engaged in making money and attacking the governments while ignoring important issues such as education, healthcare, and religion.
The statement by the minister generated strong criticism from people on social media.
https://twitter.com/mfchaudhryy/status/1467517370726068232?s=24
One social media user asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to dismiss Khattak for the insensitive statement.
https://twitter.com/zfebrahim/status/1467554023834374149
Politician Bushra Gohar said that Khattak should be ‘tried for justifying the barbaric Sialkot mob lynching’.
https://twitter.com/BushraGohar/status/1467752846284185603
Another user said that the rot was top-down.
https://twitter.com/_Priyansha__/status/1467687382451253248
https://twitter.com/BandhiniF/status/1467738547494928385
One netizen said the minister issued the statement to appease “future allies TLP”.
https://twitter.com/AatifAzio1/status/1467521231603871760
https://twitter.com/ArbabGM/status/1467707127078821890
Earlier, on Friday, a mob in Sialkot brutally murdered a Sri Lankan man and set his body on fire over blasphemy allegations. Priyantha Kumara, the export manager of a private factory, was attacked by workers of the factory on Wazirabad road in Sialkot.