Islamabad: The Pakistani Taliban have contended that those opposed to referring to dead militants as martyrs are like persons who do not want cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar to be praised because he is an Indian.
In a clip posted today on a video-sharing website, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Shahidullah Shahid made the remarks while responding to criticism of Jamaat-e-Islam chief Munawar Hasan's comments describing slain commander Hakimullah Mehsud as a 'shaheed' (martyr).
Shahid's remarks were initially mistaken by the media as a criticism of praise for Tendulkar, who recently bid farewell to international cricket.
"Those in the media criticising Munawar Hasan, they are acting like those...There is an Indian player named Tendulkar who was praised highly by the media and Pakistanis while Misbah-ul-Haq was criticised," he said.
"Some people may say Tendulkar may be a very good player but don't talk about his greatness because that is against Pakistani nationhood. And these people say Misbah, even if he is a bad player, should be praised because he is a Pakistani.
"So those who are criticising Munawar Hasan are behaving like this," he added.
Shahid made it clear he was using Tendulkar as an example while speaking about the media's coverage of the controversy over the Jamaat chief's statement describing Hakimullah Mehsud as a martyr. Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike on November 1.
He claimed Pakistani soldiers "fighting for the US" were being called martyrs while Taliban fighters fighting for Islam were not referred to in the same manner.
The Pakistan Army reacted angrily to the Jamaat chief's praise of Mehsud, saying he should apologise to families of soldiers who died fighting terrorists.
Tendulkar's recent retirement from international cricket was extensively covered by the Pakistani media and his last speech was beamed live. Newspapers paid rich tributes to the icon, saying cricket will be poorer without him.
Dawn wrote Tendulkar's retirement marks the end of a truly memorable career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century.
Tendulkar continued to rewrite record books with his batting skills since making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989, it said.
Insaaf, an Urdu daily, wrote cricketers like Tendulkar are not born everyday. He is widely loved and his fans must be sad as "cricket without him is surely poorer", it said.
Stop praising Sachin Tendulkar, Taliban warns Pakistan media
Stop praising Sachin Tendulkar, Taliban warns Pakistan media
ISLAMABAD: The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has asked Pakistani media groups to refrain from praising Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.
In a video message, Taliban spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid, flanked by two AK-47 wielding masked men, talks about Sachin's farewell to international cricket.
"There is this Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar. It was unfortunate to see Pakistani media go to great extent to pay tribute to him," Shahid said in the video message.
"On the other hand, it was sad to know same Pakistani media badly criticized captain Misbah-ul-Haq. No matter how good Tendulkar is, don't praise him because he is Indian. No matter how bad Misbah-ul-Haq plays, he should be praised because he is a Pakistani," the video shows the Taliban spokesperson as saying.
The Pakistan media had extensively covered Tendulkar and his farewell speech was covered live. Pakistan media praised Tendulkar after he retired from the game on November 16.
Newspapers paid rich tributes to Sachin saying "the game of cricket will surely be the poorer without him".
Dawn wrote Tendulakar's retirement marks the end of a truly memorable career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century.
Rated by critics and contemporaries as arguably the greatest postwar batsman to have played the game, Tendulkar continued to rewrite the record books with his brilliant batting skills since making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi way back in 1989, it had said.
The Express Tribune and Daily Times wrote Tendulkar is rightly considered the most complete batsman of his age, possessing every shot in the book and having the ability to both, tear apart bowling attacks and to control his natural aggression to suit the needs of his team.
Insaaf, an Urdu daily, wrote 'Tendulkar like cricketers are not born every day. His is widely loved and respected.'
His fans must be sad as "cricket without him is surely the poorer."
