PRESS RELEASE
Pakistan Peace Coalition condemns target killing of son of KP Information Minister Mian Iftkhar Hussain
Karachi, July 25, 2010: The Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) has condemned the target killing of Mian Rashid Hussain, the only son of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, in Pabbi, Nowshera District, on Saturday evening.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, the PPC members expressed their deep sorrow and shock over the tragic loss and offered their condolences to Mian Iktikhar Hussain. They praised the courage of the KP Information Minister who stayed course despite receiving threats to his life for being vocal against militants and advocating military action against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorists.
The efforts of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against terrorists are supported by peace loving people of the country and PPC extended its full moral support in all its endeavours.
The PPC members expressed concern that the terrorists are targeting innocent citizens particularly the children of government ministers to mount pressure on the government to stop action against the Taliban and their allies in Swat and other areas. They also pointed out that the surge in the acts of terrorism indicates that the terrorists are regrouping and gaining their strength to continue their violent acts in the country.
The government must focus on uprooting these terrorists from all parts of the country to provide security to the common citizens. Security must be beefed up in all parts of the country particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to protect the people of the province who have been at the receiving end of violence for far too long.
The PPC also pointed to the loss of livelihood and rise in poverty following the upsurge in the spate of terrorist attack in the country. "The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa economy alone has suffered a loss of Rs.300 billion in the past years due to terrorism. The social and economic life of the people has come to a halt as sense of insecurity and fear grips the region. The loss to Pakistanâ?Ts economy that stood at over $11 billion last year translates into industry closures, job losses, rising poverty and restricted access to opportunities for decent living. The social implications of terrorism are numerous as families suffer grief, are exposed to vulnerabilities and have their physical and mental wellbeing compromised. The indiscriminate terrorist attacks on the cross section of the population are a testimony that the terrorists are out to destroy the very structure of Pakistan and they need to be fought without any compromise, if Pakistan is to survive. Apart from stepping up security measures, the government must invest in development projects and income-generation opportunities to reduce poverty in the backward areas. We are fighting on multiple fronts and each sector is interdependent on the other. No progress can be pursued if we trade off the development agenda for security."
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