Investment Is Coming to Pakistan, Those Attacking State Institutions Will Face Severe Action: Talal Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said that investment is flowing into Pakistan and warned that strict action will be taken against those who attack state institutions.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Chaudhry said elements involved in attacks on institutions would face severe consequences, adding that the government would not tolerate such actions.

Referring to the Rawalpindi firing incident, he said a political worker had opened fire on security personnel and was killed in retaliatory action. He said the incident should serve as a lesson and urged PTI leadership and workers to avoid politics based on hatred and disorder.

Regarding demands for CCTV footage of the Rawalpindi incident, the minister said the area was sensitive and the incident had occurred in a crowded marketplace where several people had witnessed what happened.

“We will not provide anything that could affect the investigation,” he said.

Chaudhry rejected attempts by PTI supporters to distance the party from the incident by arguing that the individual involved had no connection with the party or was mentally unstable.

He questioned why, if the person was mentally unstable, he had not attacked a family member or someone from his own party or harmed himself. According to the minister, the individual targeted the institution that had allegedly become the focus of hatred in his mind and was carrying a PTI flag.

The minister said responsibility for the Rawalpindi firing incident did not rest solely with PTI but also with certain YouTubers based abroad. He accused them of allegedly provoking young people for views and financial gains.

Chaudhry claimed that PTI was gradually making itself politically irrelevant through its actions, including calls for dissolving assemblies, resignations and incidents such as May 9 and November 26, which he said had contributed to political workers distancing themselves from the party.

He further alleged that some YouTubers operating from abroad were “playing with fire” by spreading hatred and provoking young people.

The minister claimed that the individual involved in the firing incident had previously stayed at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad and had met various political leaders.

“If he was so mentally unstable, why was he kept on the frontline at political gatherings?” Chaudhry asked, questioning whether young people were being used for political purposes.

He reiterated that the government would take firm action against anyone attempting to attack state institutions while stressing the need to maintain peace and avoid politics of hatred and violence.