Shibli Faraz responds to criticism over PM's use of word 'blackmail'

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Friday responded to criticism by the Opposition over the use of the word "blackmail" by Prime Minister Imran Khan as he spoke about the sit-in in Quetta by the Hazara community.

The community has been protesting since Sunday, after 10 miners were massacred by terrorists near a coal field in Balochistan's Machh town, and have refused to bury their loved ones until the prime minister goes to meet them.

The prime minister, during a ceremony today to launch Special Technology Zones Authority in Islamabad, had said: "One does not blackmail the prime minister of any country this way."

His remarks stirred up a storm, with the Opposition criticising the premier for likening just demands to "blackmail" and for lacking humanity.

Faraz, in his rebuttal to the Opposition said: "The people who see a tragedy like this one as an opportunity for political point scoring are the ones who do not have any humanity left in them."

He said the prime minister used the word "blackmail" for those very people who "politicise every matter".

He said that the prime minister shares in the sorrow of the affected families and considers it his top-most priority to provide them justice.