Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday once again targeted PTI chief Imran Khan and his supporters. He termed the violent protests that followed Khan’s arrest as an “act of terrorism”. The PM vowed to bring to justice the planners and leaders of the violent protests that targeted military installations and “disgraced martyrs” as he termed the May 9 events as the “darkest chapter” in the country’s history.
Sharif told a meeting of the National Security Committee, “I believe that whoever planned this and instigated the sabotage…they are definitely guilty of terrorism, but they also managed to do what is the real problem of Pakistan.” The enemy could not do it in the last 75 years.” by the top civilian and military leadership including Army Chief General Asim Munir.
The prime minister was referring to violent protests following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on May 9, which led to several deaths and dozens of military and government installations were destroyed by protesters.
For the first time in Pakistan’s history, protesters stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and set fire to the corps commander’s house in Lahore.
Whatever happened on 9th May will be remembered as the darkest chapter in the history of the country.
“We have never seen such a heinous plan (playout) in the last 75 years,” Sharif said, adding that protesters went to the army headquarters, the air force base in Mianwali and the ISI office in Faisalabad.
Referring to the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander’s house by Khan’s supporters, he said, “Jinnah House is not just a building… It housed the sons who defended Pakistan. But they destroyed it – in fact I turned it to ashes.”
Prime Minister Sharif vowed that the planners and leaders of the 9 May events, who attacked military installations and “insulted our martyrs”, would be punished and brought to justice.
“The culprits should be held accountable to set an example so that no one dares to repeat such incidents in future,” he added. He said that he issued instructions that innocent people should not be touched.
He also called for framing of legal, constitutional and administrative measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He said that the culprits involved in the heinous crime would not be spared at any cost.
He said, “I believe that today’s meeting of the NSC expresses solidarity with the Pakistan Army, condemns these incidents and the law will take its course.
“We are all forced to think that which ideology, group or individual was behind setting the love of Pakistan on fire,” he said.
He said that the entire country stands behind their armed forces. Punjab’s Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar told a press conference on Sunday that more than 3,500 people have been arrested in Punjab province for their involvement in the violence that broke out after Khan’s arrest. He said most of them would be tried in anti-Islamic courts. Top Pakistan Army officials on Monday resolved to bring to justice “saboteurs” involved in the recent attacks on military installations through trials under relevant laws, including the stringent Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act.
The army’s move to invoke the draconian Army Act and the Official Secrets Act is a serious provision in which Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters could be slapped with charges that could lead to either a death sentence or a life sentence. may lead to imprisonment.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a vote of no confidence in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan. was part of.
(with PTI inputs)
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