MITHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Makh­doom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that ‘non-serious’ attitude of the federal government is among the main factors behind unabated incidents of terrorism across the country.

He reiterated his demand for the establishment of military courts and termed it the need of the hour, especially after utter failure of the government in eliminating terrorism from the country.

Mr Qureshi, who is also spiritual leader of his Ghousia Jamaat, was speaking to journalists and addressing his disciples in Qaboolio jo Paar and other villages near here on Sunday. He attributed exacerbation of external and internal threats to the country to weak foreign policy and lauded the chief of army staff’s move to summon Afghan envoys to GHQ to convey them the country’s deep concerns.

“The deadly blasts, particularly in the Qalandar shrine, should serve as an eye-opener for the government. It is worrisome to see how easily the terrorists are hitting soft targets,” he added.

Mr Qureshi said that it was painful to see splintered body parts of the shrine victims dumped in sewers in Sehwan town. There was an urgent need to fight terrorists under the National Action Plan, he said.

India had been active in promoting terrorism in the country through Afghanistan but the federal government had failed to take up the issue at proper international forums, he said.

He expressed the hope people would get rid of corrupt and incompetent rulers and said they had expectations justice would be served in the Panamagate case.

He said that he would again contest election from Thar and urged his followers to forge unity and discipline in their ranks.

Mr Qureshi said that it grieved him to see that health crises in the area was deepening by the day and taking a heavy toll on minor children and pregnant women.

“There is an urgent need to construct modern healthcare units and provide quality drinking water, education and other facilities to the people of Thar,” he said.

He lashed out at Sindh government for its indifference towards the burning issues of Thar and said that remote areas of his constituency were facing worst conditions due to lethargic government attitude and massive corruption in development schemes. He said in answer to a question that there was no truth in rumours that he was rejoining the Pakistan Peoples Party and said that some people were trying to create misunderstandings.

“PTI is fast becoming the most popular party of Sindh,” he said urged his followers to participate in the upcoming census and get themselves counted.

Hundreds of followers of Mr Qureshi who had arrived from different areas of Thar and other districts gathered at Baghal, Qaboolio Jo Paar and other villages to listen to their spiritual leader.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2017