The Pakistan’s government on Saturday disclosed that at least 20 outlets of American fast-food chains across the country were attacked by religious extremists this month during the anti-Israel protests.
One employee of the KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) outlet was killed and almost 160 suspects arrested.
In most attacks, the activists of the radical Islamist party — Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) — were involved.
Pakistan’s Interior State Minister Tallal Chaudhry said, in a press conference on Saturday near here, that the government would protect the lives and properties, whether they are of Pakistani businesses or foreigners investing here.
“Anyone who would attack such outlets would be dealt strictly,” he said.
He, however, appeared to be giving a clean chit to the TLP as he said all political parties, especially religious-political parties, have distanced themselves from such incidents.
“Some party’s workers might have been present in their personal capacity, but no party is connected to this crime. In fact, religious and other political parties have distanced themselves,” he claimed.
The minister said some 20 attacks on KFC recently took place in various locations across Pakistan and a total of 160 suspects have been arrested in connection with attacks on the KFC in the country.
He said the suspects (attackers) had admitted to their crimes and expressed regret in video statements.
The minister further said the KFC owner is a Pakistani and a Muslim. The entire management of KFC is from Pakistan. Whatever items they use, they buy them from Pakistani vendors, shopkeepers and markets. Its entire profit also remains within Pakistan.
“What excuse is left then that you carry out attacks?” he asked and said KFC has invested more than USD 100 million in Pakistan and such international food chains pay 100 per cent tax.
“I say with regret that our other [local] restaurants and food chains evade tax, but these chains do not. The livelihoods of over 25,000 families, directly or indirectly, are connected to the targeted food chain,” he said.
Earlier on April 10, the continued attacks on American fast food restaurant chains by anti-Israel protesters across Pakistan had prompted a prominent Islamic scholar to call on the Muslim world to impose a complete boycott of Israel.
Mufti Taqi Usmani, head of Wifaq-ul-Madaris, stressed that protests against Israel must be peaceful, while warning that any harm to individuals or property is strictly prohibited under Sharia law.
Thousands of seminaries and madaris across Pakistan are affiliated with Wifaq-ul-Madaris, a conglomerate of seminaries of Islam’s Deobandi school of thought.
The call was made during the National Palestine Conference held in Islamabad where numerous Islamic scholars from various schools of thought gathered to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza and Palestine, local media reported then.
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