PTI supports MWM call for nationwide protests tomorrow after Islamabad blast

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday announced its support for a nationwide day of mourning and protests called by Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) following a deadly bomb blast in Islamabad.

At least 32 people were killed and around 169 others were injured when a suicide bomber attacked Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers. The blast occurred as worshipers gathered for Jumma prayers, with explosions and gunfire reported at the scene.

The attack marked the deadliest attack in Islamabad in over a decade and the deadliest nationwide since the Peshawar mosque bombing in January 2023.

Addressing the media today, MWM chief and Leader of Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas condemned the deadly bombing in Islamabad and announced a day of mourning and nationwide protests, accusing the government of failing to protect its citizens.

“An attack was carried out yesterday in a mosque while a man was kneeling. Innocent people were martyred and university students were among those killed in the blast. This tragedy took place in the federal capital, not in a remote area. Tomorrow we will observe a black day and a day of mourning, with a nationwide protest planned for next Friday,” he said.

Abbas stressed that the incident that took place in Islamabad raised serious concerns about security arrangements in the capital. He rejected what he described as attempts to politicize the tragedy.

“We don’t want to play any blame game. In the world, if a government cannot provide protection to its people, it steps down,” he said.

Abbas said that a feast was held over their bodies and that in such incidents it was always the poor who were killed. He added that since he came of age, he had seen bodies falling. He said they were told operations were underway, but it was unclear where those operations were taking place.

Read more: Four facilitators, Daesh mastermind held in Islamabad suicide attack

He claimed that certain elements were trying to incite sectarian tension but insisted that the issue was not sectarian.

“They want Shias and Sunnis to fight each other. There is no Shia-Sunni issue here. Those in power seem blind to reality. Until power is transferred to the people, conditions in this country will not improve,” he said.

In a statement issued on X today, the PTI said it expressed “full support” for the nationwide call for mourning and demonstrations planned for tomorrow by the MWM.

Meanwhile, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja said that February 8, 2024 marked the establishment of “a system built on injustice and falsehood”.

He added that the protest was aimed at expressing dissatisfaction with those in power.

“Tomorrow we will express our disassociation from these thieves. We will oppose anyone who stands against the state. A system of oppression cannot stand. Our voice has been stolen,” he said.

Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) Chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the current situation should not be used to inflame public sentiments.

He criticized Pakistan’s involvement in regional conflicts, saying the country had been dragged into wars not of its own.

“We surrendered Pakistan to other people’s wars. During the Afghan conflict, people poured in from the neighboring regions. Over 1,300 social activists were martyred in the tribal areas,” he said.

Achakzai said Pakistan was in trouble because of its own actions. He said the country’s 250 million citizens had been harassed with guns. He emphasized that they were not against any agency or institution, but that the constitution which had held the nation together was being torn asunder.

“Tomorrow, the people of Pakistan will express their frustration by closing shops. I urge Shehbaz Sharif to join this mourning too. We appeal to the public – don’t be emotional,” he said.

Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser said more than 3,000 Pakistanis had fallen victim to terrorism in the past week, describing the government as a “complete failure”.

“It is the government’s responsibility to provide security to the public. Instead of cracking down on political parties, the government should focus on its job,” he said.

The Qaiser rejected sectarian divisions and called for constitutional supremacy.

“In this country, Shias and Sunnis are brothers. There must be constitutional and legal rules in this country. Tomorrow we will hold our protest,” he said.

Also read: Bombers identified as Peshawar resident ‘trained in Afghanistan’

TTAP Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the country is facing daily security incidents and deepening political polarization.

“There is not a single day when no incident takes place. There are important questions that need to be answered,” he said.

He criticized what he described as a culture of issuing religious decrees against opponents and called for unity.

“It has become a norm to issue edicts against anyone. We must end this division. Everyone must unite on these issues. If we do not unite, we will witness such days repeatedly,” he said.

Khokhar said that though it was a “Form 47 government”, there was a need to adopt a unanimous policy and convene an all-party conference to evolve a common strategy to eliminate terrorism.

“International conspiracies are casting their eyes on the country. Pakistan is facing challenges with the economy and law and order. Incidents are happening in Balochistan and the next day a new minister is taking oath,” he said.

Khokhar urged citizens to mark the day peacefully. “Tomorrow people should stay at home and observe a day of mourning,” he said.