JK News Today Commentary
Jammu, April 20:
It can happen in Pakistan only where Government would expel envoys to pamper the extremist party even after Prime Minister Pakistan had told the nation that such a step would be suicidal for the country’s economy and image.
The Government of Pakistan has conceded the demand of Tehreek-e-Labbaik or TLP to expel French Ambassador from the country for his country’s role in promoting acts of blasphemy in the name of freedom of speech.
Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has conceded the demands of the TLP as a result of which and Pakistan ‘s National Assembly will pass a resolution for the expulsion of French Ambassador on Tuesday. Such things happen only during war – like situations . Another pro is that this decision has been taken at the behest of an ultra right party in Pakistan.
Islamabad has taken this decision within hours after Prime Minister Imran Khan had told the people of Pakistan in his special address to the nation on Monday evening that any such step would hurt ties not only with France but also with the rest of the European Union , apart from causing a huge damage to Pakistan’s economy, particularly in. textiles sector – Europe imports about 50 per cent of the textile products from Pakistan.
But the subsequent negotiations of the government with TLP has undone all what he said and now the extremist party is having the last laugh .
This is dangerous for the overall atmosphere in Pakistan and the South Asian region. This amounts to giving an upper hand to the Pakistani Islamist Party over the ground rules of conducting diplomacy.
Pakistan was rattled by the street protests by TLP in which four policemen were killed and 800 others wounded . the whole country was brought to a standstill.
Now, however, what Pakistan has done will have long-term consequences for Pakistan as also for the rest of the region.