GILGIT: Prime Minister Imran Khan has declared that now his focus will be on rule of law, as during the past two years his entire focus had been on Pakistan’s economy in order to “set it in the right direction”.

“I will oversee the state institutions myself so that powerful convicts of the country trying to blackmail [the government] are brought into the ambit of the law. You will see in the coming days whose legs shake and whose forehead sweats,” Prime Minister Khan said while addressing the Azadi Parade ceremony in connection with the 73rd Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan in Gilgit on Sunday.

Mr Khan said since the opposition was criticising the chiefs of Pakistan Army and Inter Services Intelligence, it proved that he had appointed the right people to the posts. “If these thieves [opposition] are speaking against them, it means they [chiefs] are the right people,” he said.

He lambasted the opposition parties for what he said “attacking the state institutions” and “promoting the enemies’ narrative”. He said those who wanted to “discredit the army and the judiciary” were speaking “the language of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.

He said the Modi government was the most extremist government in India’s history, as they were pursing the Hindutva ideology. They hated Muslims and Pakistan, perpetrating brutalities on innocent Kashmiri people, he said, adding that the laws enacted by the Modi government — the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens — were targeted at Indian Muslims.

Says opposition’s criticism proves he appointed right people to the posts of army chief and ISI director general

No previous government had done to occupied Kashmir what the “extremist, racist, totalitarian” government of Modi had done, he said, while emphasising that this was the reason Pakistan needed a strong army.

He said: “There is no week when our soldiers do not sacrifice their lives. From our merged [tribal] districts to Balochistan and sometimes even in Karachi, planned terrorism is being carried out. Who is challenging them? Our army and security forces… We know Narendra Modi’s government is trying to [create chaos] not only through terrorism but also through Shia-Sunni conflict. They planned to spread chaos by killing Shia and Sunni scholars. I pay tribute to our army that foiled these plans.”

He said he had received congratulatory messages from across the world over how Pakistan conducted itself after the Pulwama incident. “But today he is saying that Pakistan acted out of fear, which was the basis of Modi’s entire election campaign,” Mr Khan said in reference to reports about PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq’s statement.

“And the entire purpose behind this is to blackmail Imran Khan so that he overlooks their looted wealth and gives them an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance). I want to tell my nation today that Imran Khan will never forgive these dacoits,” said the prime minister.

“The way in which they attacked the judiciary, they are trying to elevate one judge,” he said, adding that if those who have “fled abroad” are cleared in corruption cases, then [they find] the judiciary is independent, but when verdicts are issued against them, [they allege] the judiciary is wrong.

“Similarly, the pressure on the army is only there so that we [the government] forgive them,” Mr Khan said. A strong army is indispensable for a country to protect its sovereignty and solidarity, he said, lauding the role of security forces for successfully combating the war against terrorism and foiling enemy designs to destabilise Pakistan.

Provisional status

On the occasion, the prime minister announced his government had decided to grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, keeping in view the UN Security Council resolutions.

He congratulated the people of GB over the development, but said he could not announce development package due to elections in the area.

He paid tribute to Gilgit scouts and martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of this region and said as long as he was prime minister he would keep visiting GB to join their Independence Day celebrations every year as he did last year.

He said the first time he visited the region was when he was 15 along with his school trekking team. “I am fond of trekking here,” he said, adding that the only loss he had to face after becoming the prime minister was that he could not continue trekking.

In his address, GB Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon said the GB’s Independence Day reminded him of the sacrifices of the martyrs. He said the incumbent federal government was making serious efforts to bring this region in mainstream and announced that the provisional provincial status would be granted after the election in GB.

Mr Maqpoon then criticised the opposition parties that he alleged had opposed granting constitutional rights to GB.

“In the upcoming election, the GB people through their votes will respond to the opposition parties for denying [them] their rights,” the governor said.

Earlier, caretaker GB chief minister Mir Afzal Khan paid tribute to the personnel of armed forces who rendered their lives for the country’s security. He also paid tribute to the martyrs of Gilgit-Baltistan who sacrificed their lives for independence.

Among others, federal minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, cabinet members of GB, top civil and military officials, students and civil society members attended the ceremony.

After arriving here in Gilgit on Sunday, PM Khan along with the governor and caretaker chief minister visited Yadgar-i-Shuhda in Chinar Bagh and laid wreaths.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2020