July 30, 2018
Promoting peace: Sufism will end terrorism in the country, says Imran
Owais Jafri
More by this author...BAHAWALPUR / RAJANPUR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan espoused “the teachings of Sufism” on Saturday and held out the hope that it would end terrorism in the country.
Addressing a public gathering in Rajanpur district’s Kot Mithan area on Saturday, Imran paid tribute to the services of Sufi saint Khawaja Ghulam Farid in promoting love for humanity and nature.
“The time has come for us to realise that the teachings of Islam and the teachings of the Sufi saints are one and the same,” said the PTI chief, adding that Sufi values were based on the idea of egalitarianism and the acceptance of all creeds and beliefs in society.
He called upon people to unite to confront terrorism and poverty in the country.
Imran said the May 11 polls provided people a chance to change the political status quo in the country. He maintained that feudalism had taken hold in most political parties, which as such strived towards dictatorship because of the silence of the common man. He also promised to bring an end to feudalism if PTI was voted to power.
Addressing another gathering in Bahawalpur, Imran said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party had failed to serve the nation despite having multiple chances to do so. He asserted that the country’s two traditional political powerhouses had enjoyed remaining in power, but chose to serve their own narrow interests rather than those of the public.
Imran also said the two parties had damaged the democratic process. He said PML-N did not allow anyone other than a member of the Sharif family to lead it while the PPP was simply based on the slogan of ‘Bhutto’. He maintained both parties operated as dynasties rather than democratic parties, adding that only the PTI introduced true democracy by holding intra-party elections.
The PTI chief once again challenged both PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari to have a public debate on national issues with him. He questioned their reluctance in this regard and claimed they knew they could not defend themselves in any debate on the matter, especially in light of their ‘performance and misdeeds’.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2013.