Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with the founding team of Diriliş: Ertuğrul amid the ongoing situation in the country has sparked public outrage. It’s been almost a week since 11 coal miners belonging to the Hazara community were brutally killed in Mach, Balochistan. And while the families of the victims still wait on their prime minister’s visit, Khan went on to host the Turkish producers.
Yesterday, PM Imran Khan met with the makers of the popular Turkish drama, Diriliş: Ertuğrul in Islamabad. The meeting was led by Turkish politician Kemal Tekden and it was attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, Kashmir Committee Chairperson Shehryar Afridi and personalities from Turkish and Pakistani film industries.
Prime Minister Imran Khan meets with the founder of Turkish drama serial Ertugrul, led by Kamal Tekdin pic.twitter.com/rfCa38gLsr
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) January 7, 2021
Highlights of the meeting with the makers of Diriliş: Ertuğrul
The meeting discussed in detail the proposed television series based on the role of renowned Sub-continent personality Turk Lala. He played an important part in the Khilafat Movement and the two countries have agreed to produce the proposed series through cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of creating awareness among the youth about their heroes in history. Prime Minister Imran Khan also urged Pakistani film and drama industry to work on quality local production, which will provide the youth with a welcoming Ertugrul-like alternative of substandard and glamorized content.
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Pakistanis are enraged
The public seems to be extremely disappointed at the premier’s decision. Instead of meeting with the bereaved families of Hazara victims, who want an assurance that they will be protected from the Islamic State, PM Imran Khan decided to ‘raise awareness’ among the youth about their ‘heroes’.
All fingers are pointed at the premier right now and people are wondering what is more important right now. Promoting entertainment and culture or serving justice to the terrorists who mercilessly killed innocent coal miners?
This also puts a huge question mark on the government’s ability to deal with the current crisis and the on-going protests. Pakistanis are furious and they are asking ‘Where is the state?’ Let’s take a look at some Twitter reactions.
Wow @ImranKhanPTI meeting up with the cast and crew of Ertugrul series is way more important than going to Quetta and having a word with those affectees sitting on road in- degree °C along with their slaughtered dead bodies from the last 5 days.#ShiaHazaraCallsPMIK
— Wajee (@Wajeeha38064617) January 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/Advjalila/status/1347327157849223168
https://twitter.com/Hasnaat_/status/1347247385823633411
People Imran Khan chose to meet instead of the Hazara community that has been sitting outside with dead bodies for days:
– Youtubers to talk about promoting the government over the opposition in their videos
– The cast of ErtugrulTotal lack of empathy and humanity.
— Anaya Khan 🇵🇸 (@AnayaNKhan) January 7, 2021
Went to the peaceful protest today at Karachi to show solidarity with Hazara community. Is our Prime Minister @imrankhanpti free now after meeting with ertugrul cast ??? Get your priorities right as it's such a shameful attitude of yours#hazaragenocide #HazaraShiasWantJustice
— Mohd Abbas (@AbbasGemini) January 7, 2021
Apparently, Ertugrul a drama is more important than real human lives lost@ImranKhanPTI @PTIofficial
— Rida Shuaib (@RidaShuaib) January 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/billaz132/status/1347241539743846403
Ok so meanwhile our PM Imran Khan had meeting with Ertugrul’s founder because that was more important than people protesting with dead bodies. And somehow people are still defending him!! Just take a moment and think how friggin inhumane it is!! #HazaraShiasWantJustice
— Fizza (@yvesfizza) January 8, 2021
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