PESHAWAR: Political parties, business community and civil society on Tuesday condemned the violation of Line of Control by the Indian aircraft and vowed to take a unified stand in order to give a tit-for-tat response to the enemy.

The members of business community and civil society organisations held a demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club and set on fire the Indian flag and effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The protesters led by traders’ leaders, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, Faheem Shah and Shaukatullah Hamdard, said they would extend full support to the security forces in case India imposed war on Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party’s provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, in a statement, said the violation of LoC by the India Air Force was meant to save politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He suggested convening joint session of the parliament so that the military officials could brief the elected representatives to take future line of action in that regard.

The ANP leader said the LoC violation was part of the election campaign of Indian government as the ruling clique was facing serious internal issues. He said irrespective of political affiliations and difference of views, all the political parties were on the same page in the larger national interest.

Mr Hoti said Indian occupation forces were continuously shedding blood of innocent Kashmiris and playing with lives and honour of the women, children and senior citizens for the only reason that they were demanding liberation.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Engr Amir Muqam said by violating the LoC the Indian government had invited wrath of Pakistani nation. He said all the political parties and security forces were on one page in order to respond to the enemy in a befitting manner.

PML-N women wing provincial secretary information Farah Khan also condemned the violation of LoC.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s MPA Nighat Orakzai and former MNA Asma Alamgir, in separate statements, said workers of their party were committed to supporting the security forces if India dared to attack Pakistan.

They condemned the violation of LoC and described it a tactic by New Delhi to divert attention of international community from the violent incidents in India-held Kashmir.

In Kohat, a big protest rally was held on Tuesday against the Indian threats of attack in the backdrop of Pulwama incident.

The rally was taken out from Zargran Bazaar by the civil society, business community and local chamber of commerce and industry and religious and political parties, which turned into a public meeting at Kutcheri Chowk.

The security forces also conducted a flag and route march on this occasion. The people welcomed vehicles of the security forces which passed through various roads of the city. They sent a clear message to New Delhi that they were ready to respond to any aggression.

The participants of the rally also burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They shouted slogans of ‘Pakistan Army Zindabad’ and ‘down with Indian army’.

The speakers included Azmat Bangash of Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abid Khan of JI, Faheem Dad, Malik Mansoor of the business community of cantonment and Mansoor Paracha besides activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek. They said that they would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Army in case of any aggression by India. They said that India was escalating tension in held Kashmir ahead of their elections and it had no courage to challenge Pakistan.

They said that Pakistan was capable of giving befitting response to India if it initiated any misadventure.

The speakers said that Pakistan would continue to provide its moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people facing Indian state terrorism.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2019