K-P minister asked why the same permanent strategy had not been formulated for the stability of the national economy.

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information and Science & Information Technology Minister Shafi Jan has criticised Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi over his recent press conference, urging him not to use the funerals of martyrs for political purposes.

“Using the funerals of martyrs for political point-scoring is highly regrettable,” Shafi Jan said in a statement on Monday.

The provincial minister claimed that the frequent press conferences by federal ministers reflected concerns over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned protest and long march scheduled for September 27.

Shafi Jan said that while the federal government talked about maintaining law and order, it should also respect the fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens under the Constitution.

He also called on the federal government to respond to questions concerning what he described as the deprivation of PTI founder Imran Khan’s constitutional and legal rights, restrictions on meetings with him and alleged non-implementation of court orders.

Referring to Naqvi’s statement about developing a permanent strategy to deal with PTI, Shafi Jan questioned why, in his view, a similar long-term strategy had not been developed to strengthen the national economy.

“Mohsin Naqvi may have forgotten that the damage to the national economy is not because of PTI but due to the poor policies of their so-called experienced economic team,” he said.

Shafi Jan’s remarks came amid heightened political tensions between the federal government and PTI ahead of the party’s announced September 27 protest.