LAHORE: Responding to the sloganeering at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister House where the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) agitation was termed jihad (holy war), the Punjab government has reminded the opposition party that ‘jihad’ cannot be waged against the state.

“Slogans of ‘jihad’ were raised in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister House. Against whom they are waging jihad? Jihad cannot be waged against the state,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told a press conference here on Monday.

Taking on Bushra Bibi, wife of the PTI supremo Imran Khan, the minister said: “I have heard that a woman, known for being apolitical, used to run the [previous] prime minister’s office through remote control. Now, she [Bushra] is only delivering speeches and conveying the messages of the PTI founder. What kind of political statements are these?”

The minister asked Ms Bushra that if she wanted to engage in politics, she should do it openly. “She should not hide behind veils. Politics requires courage and conviction. Decide whether Aleema Khan will do politics or you,” she said and added that PTI MNAs and MPAs from Punjab were being summoned to Peshawar by Bushra Bibi.

Regarding the PTI’s protest march scheduled for Nov 24, the minister forewarned the party that the Punjab government knew how to establish its writ. “Are Bushra Bibi and Aleema Khan here to wage “jihad” with their children participating in the agitation? They bring others’ children to the front line, but don’t bring their own. Bring Qasim, Suleman, and Tyrian forward; they should lead from the front,” she said and added that just as smog was ruining the public health, the PTI people were damaging Pakistan’s economy.

She claimed that the masses would not respond to the PTI’s call on Nov 24, like they did last month.

About the economy, Ms Bokhari said inflation was on the decline. “The national economy is gradually standing on its own feet and relief is beginning to reach the common man,” she said.

The minister announced that certain changes were being made to the health card and a dialysis programme was also being launched in Punjab, with dialysis cards worth up to Rs1 million to be introduced in a few days. In Punjab, 25 to 30 per cent of the patients seeking treatment were not from the province, she said.

The minister said smog had been a recurring problem during the winter months in the country, with authorities yet to find a sustainable solution to the crisis.

Earlier this month, she said, NASA’s satellite images revealed a dense layer of smog stretching between Lahore and New Delhi, underscoring the severity of the environmental crisis.

The development had prompted climate experts to demand urgent action, as Pakistan’s meteorological department forecasts that smog will persist until mid-December, she said and added that with schools reopening in most districts of Punjab, the EPA emphasised the importance of continued vigilance and compliance with safety measures. She warned that smog could return if weather patterns shifted or mitigation efforts are relaxed.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2024