Daily Times

Besides the negative socioeconomic and psychological effects, the May 9-10 vandalism have also negated the tall claims of PTI of supporting democratic values, reconciliation and political tolerance in society. The ransacking of public and private properties have widened the gaps between Pakistan Tahrik e Insaf and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and has split PTI into different groups.

“A red line has been drawn between the supporters of democracy and attackers of the government and defence installations after May 9 vandalism and its negative effects would continue to haunt PTI for many years,” said Professor Dr A H Hilali, former Chairman Political Science Department, University of Peshawar while talking to APP on Friday.

He said attacks on defense installations and statues of the defenders of Pakistan has exposed the wicked faces of the attackers and abbetters, adding the entire nation stood up for the support of the armed forces of Pakistan and have strongly condemned the assaults on the defense installations on May 9-10.

He said that arrest of political leaders were not a new thing in subcontinent including in Pakistan as in the past former prime ministers Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and former President Asif Ali Zardari have faced jails with steadfastness.

He said it was unprecedented that violent protest and attacks on the Govt and defense installations were made by the horde of a political party after the arrest of Imran Khan.

He said Imran Khan should seriously think about his way of politics that why founding leaders including former Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and Sindh PTI President Ali Zaidi, former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, former Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, ex federal minister Shereen Mazair and many others stalwarts have seperated ways from PTI.

Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman that horde of PTI workers did not spare even Radio Pakistan Peshawar’s building and burnt it to ashes on May 10, thus showing no regards for culture and heritage

He said attacks on the national broadcaster and APP Offices was a deep conspiracy to silence media and deprive millions of people of education, information and infotainment.

The PMLN leader said that Radio Pakistan was not only a government institution but also served as an academy for young writers, musicians, artists, newsmen and script writers since 1935 till to-date and attack on it was tantamount an assault on our cultural heritage and media.

He said its hindara and hujra programs had successfully countered malicious propaganda of the Radio Kabul after the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and highlighted problems of millions of the Afghans refugees in most effective way.

He said millions of people have listened hindara program in 1980s due to an excellent scripts, contents, objectivity and dialogue delivery of the renowned compares, Inayatulllah Gul and Taj Nabi

Being voice of the nation, he said the national broadcaster was attacked in a bid to stop it from spreading the truth. Ikhtair Wali said the violent mob had also burnt Chaghi mountains model constructed in memory of the nuclear explosions of May 28, 1998 in the prmises of PBC building Peshawar, adding the enemy countries had not dared to damaged defence installations and statues of martyres the why the horde of a political party that deceived people on the name of change has done on May 9-10. Ikhtair Wali said the loot and plunders in Radio Pakistan building have exposed the wicked face of the attackers, supporters and abbetters and strict action was being taken against them under the country’s relevant laws.

Ikhtair Wali said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif despite his busy schedule visited the burnt building of Radio Pakistan Peshawar to express solidarity with its employees while PTI Chairman has not passed a single word for condemnation after the ransacking of the national broadcaster and Jinnah House, Lahore.

Program Manager, PBC, Tufail Khan said that hands written dramas of the renowned writers Muhammad Azam Azam, Humayun Huma, Samandar Khan Samandar and rare music discs of legendary pashto singers Ahmad Khan, Rafiq Shinwari, Mashooq Sultan and Khyal Muhammad were also burnt to ashes. He said various popular programs of Radio Pakistan that were digitalized on computers were lost due to burning/destruction of computers. Renowned psychiatrist and former head of psychiatry ward of Lady Reading Hospital, Professor Dr Iftikhar Hussain said that May 9 vandalism have negatively impacted on people minds especially of youth as several patients were provided treatment in his hospital besides mental psychotherapy.

Dr Iftikhar said that Radio Pakistan Peshawar like catastrophic incident have an adverse effects on people’s minds especially of its employees and normally takes three to six months for complete rehabilitation. He said such catastrophic incidents could be countered through shared willpower, courage and determination. Wajid Ali Khan, former ANP Minister said that May 9 vandalism and hate politics have restricted Imran Khan’s politics to Zaman Park and resignation of the PTI stalwarts including Pervez Khattak have made it crystal clear that days of Imran Niazi was over.