Timergara: Former Senator of Jamaat-e-Islami, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, has stated that Pakistan is not a free country but a slave nation, and its so-called independence is an illusion. He claimed that the rulers are subservient to the United States, citing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement that the government would have to seek IMF’s approval to reduce electricity prices as clear proof of this dependency. He emphasized the need to break these chains of slavery.He expressed these views while addressing a grand welcome party organized by Shayan College of Maidan at a local wedding hall in Timergara. On this occasion, the principal of Shayan College, Malik Shahid Khan, Professor Bakht Zada Danish, and other speakers also addressed the gathering.
Mushtaq Ahmed Khan highlighted that the youth of Lower Dir and the entire country are full of talent. He pointed out that 70% of Pakistan’s population consists of young people, who are the pride and asset of the nation. However, due to the lack of employment opportunities and government jobs, educated youth are being forced to migrate abroad, often risking their lives while crossing seas in search of work. Many tragically drown, becoming food for fish, essentially purchasing their own deaths with their hard-earned money.He criticized the elite class, stating that judges receive hefty salaries, perks, and pensions, while members of the Punjab Assembly have increased their salaries by 1,000%, and members of the National Assembly have raised theirs by 300%. He condemned the fact that judges, generals, politicians, and bureaucrats never renounce their privileges, even in their final breaths. He asserted that until the government stops the use of 190,000 official vehicles, their fuel consumption, and unnecessary protocols for officers, Pakistan will not progress.Despite being a nuclear power, Pakistan allocates a massive budget for defense. Mushtaq Ahmed Khan suggested that the defense budget should be reduced and funds should be redirected toward health, education, and development. He lamented that the national treasury is being looted mercilessly and stressed the need to plug the financial leaks, claiming that corruption amounts to 10 trillion rupees annually.
Praising Hamas, he paid tribute to Yahya Sinwar and Abu Ubaida, calling them modern-day Salahuddin Ayyubi and asserting that the Palestinian and Gaza resistance movements would yield long-term results. He criticized the inaction of military leaders and rulers in over 60 Muslim countries regarding the Palestinian issue, declaring that those who betray Gaza and Palestine will be remembered in history with disgrace.
He also rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan, or Indonesia, asserting that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians. He dismissed the two-state solution as ineffective.
Regarding Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, he stated that the government could secure her release if it truly wanted to, but it remains silent on the matter. He noted that February 22 would mark 8,000 days of Dr. Aafia’s imprisonment in the U.S. He accused former President Pervez Musharraf of handing her over to the U.S. in exchange for dollars.
