PML-N leaders are using the religion card to malign PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. After Mian Javed Latif’s explosive conference, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has accused Imran Khan of blasphemy.
While giving an interview on a private channel, the talk turned to Javed Latif misusing the religion card against Imran Khan, and Rana Sanaullah was asked whether it was justified to spread religious hate, especially with religious intolerance prevailing within the country.
Rana Sanaullah defended Javed Latif by accusing Imran Khan of blasphemy. He criticized Imran Khan’s speeches at his rallies and said Imran Khan has come close to claiming prophethood, now one day he will completely claim it.
عمران خان پیغمبری کا دعویٰ تو قریب قریب کر چکا ہے، اب تو لگتا ہے کہ کسی دن نبوت کا دعویٰ بھی کر دے گا،
رانا ثناء اللہ کا شاہ زیب خانزادہ کے پروگرام میں الزام اور دعویٰ
استغفراللہ…. ان لوگوں کے دماغ کہاں چلے گئے ہیں؟ یہ کیوں اتنے حواس باختہ اور پاگل ہو کر اول فول بک رہے ہیں؟— Siddique Jan (@SdqJaan) September 14, 2022
According to Rana Sanaullah, Imran Khan himself uses the religion card, hence PML-N has no choice but to quote him and say that he is misinterpreting the religion. Moving on, Rana Sanaullah said Imran Khan has ruined the ethics of politics due to his frequent charges against his opponents.
Read more: Dire consequences of mixing religion & politics
ن لیگ خود مذہبی نفرت انگیزی کاشکار ہوئی اورکہتی رہی کہ مذہب کوسیاسی فائدے اور نفرت انگیزی کیلیےاستعمال نہ کیاجائے۔ آج جو جاوید لطیف نے کیا اور PTV پرچلایاگیا یہ مذہبی نفرت انگیزی نہیں تو کیا ہے؟ سیاسی قیادت یہ کرے گی تو ملک میں آگ ہی نہیں لگے گی؟ دیکھیے
— Shahzeb Khanzada (@shazbkhanzdaGEO) September 14, 2022
Dragging religion into politics
PML-N is currently facing intense backlash on social media for using the religion card against Imran Khan and for accusing him of blasphemy. Pertinent to mention that in Pakistan religious intolerance runs high. Accusations of blasphemy alone often lead to extreme and horrific measures.
Monday, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz uploaded two purported statements of Imran Khan along with verses of the Quran on her Twitter account to draw a comparison between them.
“This man (Imran) is using religion for his politics and promoting his false narrative. Save your faith and the country from this satan,” Maryam Nawaz tweeted.
دین کو اپنی گندی اور مکروہ سیاست اور جھوٹ کو فروغ دینے کے لیے استعمال کرنے والے شیطان سے اپنے ایمان اور ملک کو بچائیں۔ pic.twitter.com/2POovGJLTn
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) September 12, 2022
Wednesday, PML-N leader and federal minister Mian Javed Latif, in a press conference aired on PTV, accused Imran Khan of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” and “supporting” the Ahmediyya community during his tenure. He also accused the PTI chief of pushing the country towards “secularism and away from the religion”.
“Imran Khan wants to create anarchy in the country as he is using religion for his politics,” Javed Latif said.
His statement was met with intense criticism. The public demanded Javed Latif’s arrest and lashed out at him for inciting religious hatred, that too on national television.
Dear @ColhashimDogar Saheb.
You are the Interior Minister of Punjab. Javed Latif is a Punjab resident. Law allows you to arrest anyone spreading religious bigotry and hatred.
What are you waiting for bhai ?
— Mir Mohammad Alikhan (@MirMAKOfficial) September 14, 2022
PTI also denounced Javed Latif’s statements and said the war being waged by the government was very dangerous as it would create divisions and violence.
Read more: PTI denounces the government for using religion to discredit Imran Khan