Hafiz Hamdullah Criticizes Government Over Hanna Urak Attack, Questions State Writ and Democratic Governance
QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Hafiz Hamdullah has strongly criticized the government over the recent attack in Hanna Urak, alleging that the state has failed to protect its citizens and questioning both the government’s performance and Pakistan’s democratic system.
Addressing participants at a protest sit-in and issuing a statement, Hamdullah said the people should not leave what he described as the “traders of the nation” to negotiations and condolence visits alone. He claimed that individuals who spend millions of rupees to secure seats in the assemblies are “traders, not public representatives.”
He further alleged that “there is neither Islam nor democracy in the country,” adding that JUI stands with the people of Hanna Urak and would continue to raise their concerns at every available forum.
Referring to the recent incident, Hamdullah condemned the armed attack in the outskirts of Quetta, saying that militants allegedly held the area hostage, spread fear, killed residents, and abducted others. He questioned where the government’s writ was, despite repeated official claims that the state had established control over militant groups.
The JUI leader expressed concern that insecurity, which he said had previously affected Baloch-majority areas, was now spreading to Pashtun-populated regions. He claimed the deteriorating security situation had reached the point where armed groups were entering residential areas while the government’s authority remained absent.
Hamdullah argued that the state’s writ could only be established if genuine public representatives were in power and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the people. He accused the government of focusing on corruption, commissions, and political interests instead of addressing public security and economic hardship.
He also criticized the government’s economic policies, alleging that unemployment was increasing while authorities had failed to provide citizens with security and employment opportunities.
Calling for political accountability, Hamdullah said that, in his view, the current administration should resign rather than leave citizens at the mercy of terrorists. He urged the government to take effective measures to restore peace and ensure the protection of the public.
The remarks reflect the JUI leader’s political views and were made in the context of his response to the Hanna Urak incident.
