Punjab government’s unfair restrictions on PTI’s political activities – by Laibaah

While I am no supporter of Imran Khan’s PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf), I consider it every political party’s right to organize political campaign and jalsas (public meetings).

Apparently, PML-N’s government in Punjab (led by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif) is deeply worried because of a potent possibility that PTI might slash significant right wing urban votes from PML-N in the forthcoming elections in 2013. Therefore, the Punjab government is resorting to unfair tactics to deprive PTI of its legitimate right of political activities and public meetings.

A recent example is how Shahbaz Sharif deemed it fit to impose certain conditions on the PTI’s forthcoming jalsa (30 October, Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore) which are out-rightly unfair and ridiculous. One of such conditions bars

Wikileaks on Lashkar-e-Taiba

Pakistan Today

Zardari revealed Sharif-Jihadi nexus to Patterson: Wikileaks
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) already knew about the United Nation sanctions after the Mumbai attacks through Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who had advised them to withdraw their money from banks, President Asif Ali Zardari had revealed to former US ambassador Anne W Patterson, Wikileaks reports have alleged.
Sharif had “tipped off” the banned outfit LeT to help them evade UN sanctions, Zardari allegedly told Patterson, adding that earlier he had done the same for the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), LeT’s parent organization, “resulting in almost empty bank accounts,” Wikileaks have claimed.
US diplomats were unable to confirm the allegations which have come at a time of rising political tension between Zardari and Sharif but they conceded that JuD did appear to have received a warning from somewhere. “Information from the ministry of the interior does indicate that bank accounts contained surprisingly small amounts,” said the cable in January 2009.

Earlier this year, Punjab government was criticized in Punjab assembly and National assembly for giving funds of  Rs.82 million to   LeT charity organization Jamat -ul- dawah .

“Giving an outright grant to the JuD, when it has been banned, tells us that some elements in the Punjab government are still not committed fully to the idea that jihadist outfits like the LeT, with known leadership and cadre links to the JuD, must be rooted out and that their activities shut down,” said Sherry Rehman.

Blaming only  Punjab government for  supporting LeT  would be highly unfair ; During recent floods Nawai Waqt published  advertisements of charity organization related Laskhar-e-Taiba despite UN ban  .

Dawn

PPP information secretary Fauzia Wahab accused the Punjab government of facilitating the operation of Jamaatud Dawa despite a UN ban on the organisation as an alleged front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and condemned publication of what she called advertisements about their relief work in two national dailies.