Violent rhetoric
Hassan Sharif
The statement of a lawmaker is tantamount to the violence of terrorists who slaughtered thousands of innocent people in Pakistan.
In a video, which has been making rounds on social media for the last three days, an MNA of PTI, Attaullah Niazi made an unacceptable threat.
“If something happens to Imran Khan, I will wipe out you by carrying out a suicide attack”, he threatened those who were at the helm of the country.
Mr. Attaullah had a record of violence as he was booked in the case of storming Sindh House in March.
But his statement about killing his political opponents is unacceptable- which he withdrew after the backlash, even in the current political scenario when political polarization has at its peak.
His threat can not be considered a mere slip of the tongue.
Suicide attacks in the country claimed thousands of lives and inflicted great losses on the country’s economy.
Lamentably, Mr. Attaullah is not the first lawmaker who used such fanatic language against his political opponents.
Former minister Shehryar Afridi said during a public meeting in March in his constituency that he would blow himself up in the parliament if suicide was not forbidden in Islam.
During the same period, another member of the then federal cabinet Ghulam Sarwar Khan showed his desire to kill his political opponents in a suicide bombing.
Regrettably, all these lawmakers belong to the PTI.
The party’s top leadership never minded condemning the violent statements of its lawmakers.
All political stakeholders must shun provocative statements against one another and settle their political issues amicably.
The violence in politics will bring further destruction to the country which is going through a critical phase of its history.