We Must Respect Our Army Chief, Says Senator Faisal Vawda

ISLAMABAD: Senator Faisal Vawda has stressed the need to respect Pakistan’s army chief and honour the sacrifices of the country’s martyrs, warning that anyone who uses abusive language against the military leadership or martyrs would face a strong response.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the independent senator said that anyone who disrespected the army chief or the martyrs would have their tongue pulled out and turned into the sole of a shoe, adding that there would be no compromise on the issue.
“Pakistan is greater than anyone,” Vawda said, adding that the public had moved beyond politics based on hollow slogans and pots of biryani. “The show is over. From now on, only performance will be judged,” he declared.
Criticising the performance of the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 13 years, Vawda said the province had witnessed nothing but destruction. He claimed that the political party responsible for running the province had also been exposed.
He asserted that neither the country, the province nor its leadership belonged to any individual or family, stressing that Pakistan would endure regardless of political personalities.
“This is only Part One; Parts Two and Three are yet to come,” he said.
Vawda also issued a strong warning to those who refused to carry Pakistan’s national flag or sing the national anthem, saying that such individuals would face severe consequences.
Referring to the country’s political and administrative situation, the senator said that the system established in the Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam had deteriorated significantly. He warned that a new administrative setup could emerge if Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi failed to deliver results.
He maintained that there was no longer any room for failure, even by one per cent.
The senator also claimed that his predictions had consistently proved correct because he based his assessments on knowledge. He said that Allah had preserved his credibility through the predictions he had made over the past three to four years.
Vawda further criticised the country’s political leadership, arguing that many leaders lacked the ability to stand firmly or communicate effectively in English.
He said Faisal Karim Kundi and others had been given a target of just 180 days to demonstrate success, adding that the authorities would accept nothing short of results.
According to Vawda, politicians had exhausted their political capital, while the public was no longer interested in political rhetoric. He said people wanted practical improvements in healthcare, education and law and order.
“If the military is providing everything to the people, why not speak openly about it?” he asked, arguing that the public would no longer be persuaded by democratic slogans or political leaders’ promises.