IGP Punjab visits injured cops, homes of martyrs

LAHORE: Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Rao Sardar Ali Khan on Monday visited Mayo and General Hospitals to enquire after injured cops and also visited the homes of Constable Ghulam Rasool and ASI Muhammad Akbar in Kasur and Chunian for offering Fateha.

Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal accompanied the IGP during the visit to the hospitals. The IGP lauded the patriotic spirit of the injured personnel and said the Police Department and the whole nation is proud of the dutifulness of the cops.

Talking to heirs of the martyrs, the IGP said the sacrifices of the martyrs are valuable. He said the sacrifices of ASI Muhammad Akbar and Constable Ghulam Rasool reflect the fact that to ensure the supremacy of law and writ of the state is top priority of the Punjab Police. Talking to the mother and children of Ghulam Rasool and daughter and brother of Akbar, he said everyone has to die one day but the status of martyrdom is bestowed upon lucky persons by Allah Almighty.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayers for Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Abubakar who was killed few days back by the violent protesters of a proscribed organization at Sadukhi were offered at the District Police Lines, Qilla Gujjar Singh. The injured ASI was under treatment at the Jinnah Hospital and died on Monday.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Hasaan Khawar, CCPO Lahore Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, DIG Operations Lahore Sohail Chaudhry, DIG Investigations Shariq Jamal, SSP Administration Mubashir Maken, SSP Operations Ismail Kharak and other police officers and Jawans attended the funeral. The brother and heirs of Abubakar also attended the funeral prayers. A contingent of police presented the guard of honour to the martyred ASI.

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IK’s growing penchant for religion: Transformation also eyes electoral dividends

By Tariq Butt

ISLAMABAD: Over time, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s penchant for religion has grown, something that will be welcomed by certain segments of society.

Apart from the mental and psychological satisfaction, repeated projection of the newfound transformation and introduction of religious measures at times produce political and electoral dividends in a country like Pakistan.

There are political-religious parties such as the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUIF) headed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman that seek votes purely on religious grounds. In 1977, the street agitation that toppled Zulfikar Ali Bhutto paving the way for the imposition of martial law was waged in the name of Islam. Whether one likes it or not, the religion card has been a factor in Pakistan’s electoral history to some extent. Exceptions aside, some political parties, which are not overtly religious, also keep trying to appeal to the voters on religious grounds.

There is no doubt about the prime minister’s sincerity to religion. However, every politician, and the premier is included among them, always has in mind what the people like or dislike listening to. Politicos worldwide devise their manifestos, strategies, policies and campaigns to attract the voters at large in order to keep them away from their rivals.

Over the past three years and even before, Imran Khan has constantly dwelled upon establishing the state of Madina as the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had unprecedentedly created and keeps vowing to implement this unparalleled model in Pakistan. However, the practical steps he has taken do not match the number of declarations he has made in favour of such a state.

The prime minister has taken some measures towards this direction. However, unless the multiple existing laws are changed, the goal can’t be achieved. No extensive official efforts have been made to this end. Only patchy attempts have been made for this purpose.

The result is that the old system in which the rich and the poor are treated differently continues with a vengeance, and the constitutional principle of equality before the law remains un-achieved and a mere dream.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had taken innumerable steps to set up the state of Madina. Topping all that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had introduced was his own strict pursuance of the Islamic Commandments and his personal presentation as the role model for others to follow.

If for any reason laws can’t be immediately changed to have the model of the state of Madina, existing bodies like the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) need to be strengthened so that they deliver instead of creating new organizations. Hardly ever have CII reports have been implemented in letter and spirit by successive governments with the present dispensation being no exception.

It is not humanly possible and no worldly barometer is available to judge the intention of anybody, including the prime minister, about their publicly articulated fondness for the state of Madina. It can only be measured from the decisions, actions, policies and moves that Imran Khan has taken since he has been in government since 2018.

Recently, the prime minister inaugurated the Ashra of Rehmatul lil Alameen (PBUH) and announced the establishment of a Rehmat-lil-Alameen Authority, which was later set up, to make Pakistan and the world aware of Islam and the life of the Prophet (PBUH). The purpose of the authority is to teach the life of the Prophet (PBUH) to children and adults and to bring it into their lives, he said. The authority will monitor the curriculum being taught at schools and organise research in universities regarding the true message of Islam in light of the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH). The authority will also remain vigilant of any blasphemous content being shared on the media and will portray the real picture of Islam.

The prime minister said Allah is commanding us because if you build your country on the principles of the state of Madina, your country will rise and if you try to adopt his role, you will rise; we celebrate Rabi-ul-Awal, resort to firecrackers and fireworks to celebrate happiness but do we try to follow his life or not? It is like keeping the Holy Quran in the house where everyone is picking it up with great reverence but not reading what is written inside.