Minar-e-Pakistan incident shameful, says PM Khan

Ag APP

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said he felt “ashamed and pained” to witness the Minar-e-Pakistan incident and stressed that such unpleasantness is not part of the country’s culture and religion.

His remarks come in reaction to the two-and-a-half hour ordeal of a female TikToker on Independence Day, in which hundreds of people were filmed assaulting her in Iqbal Park, prompting widespread outrage and debate in the country.

“No one could have imagined such an incident taking place when I was growing up,” Khan said in a speech during the Punjab Education Convention here. He said he had seen the world, and while he was growing up, he had observed that Pakistanis respected women “much more than the Western world”.

He said: “The downfall that we are witnessing is because our children are not being educated in the right manner. This is not a part of our culture and neither of our religion.”

The Prime Minister said “sex crimes” in Pakistan were on the rise, and blamed it on the “negative” side of the use of mobile phones. “In human history we never witnessed the kind of exposure to things that children have nowadays,” he said.

He noted that to curb such incidents, “there is only one way”. “Children must be taught about the life of Holy Prophet (PBUH),” he said. He underlined the need to train children and make them fully acquainted with the Seerat-e-Nabi (PBUH).

The Prime Minister said the world had high esteem for the distinct characteristics of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) character and life.

“He was a Sadiq and Ameen and the whole world respected him,” he added. He said no one could become a great leader without honesty and trustworthiness, and referred to the reputations of Nelson Mandela and Quaid-e-Azam.

Earlier, the Prime Minister held meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Chief Secretary Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik and Inspector General of Police Punjab Inam Ghani, who briefed the Premier about the overall law and order situation in the province.

PM Office said the Prime Minister was apprised of the steps taken for the protection of women. The Prime Minister directed for strict and immediate steps for ending incidents against women and for their protection.

“Immediate measures must be taken to ensure stringent punishment to the culprits,” he added. He also issued directives to ensure steps for the protection of lives and properties of the citizens. During the meeting, the Prime Minister was also briefed over the administrative steps taken against land grabbers, price hike and hoarding in the province.