Senior Journalist Reveals 25% Details of PTI Crackdown Still Hidden, Warns of More Intense Response in Future

Islamabad: Senior journalist and analyst Muneeb Farooq has revealed that 25% of the details of the crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters have not yet been made public. Speaking to ARY News, Farooq stated that the state’s response to PTI protests was extremely harsh, and much of the action taken remains unreported or cannot be reported.
He explained that following the martyrdom of a Rangers personnel, the government decided to show no leniency, and that any future attempts to protest by PTI would be met with even more severe measures. “The gulf between the state and PTI is significant, and it has only widened further,” Farooq added.
In a separate interview with Voice of America, senior journalist Hamid Mir also provided key revelations about the crackdown on PTI’s protests. Mir recounted an incident on November 26 when PTI protesters reached D-Chowk, where Rangers personnel initially greeted them with a salute and then left the area, abandoning their posts. Mir noted that while social media spread news of PTI seizing D-Chowk, Pakistani media remained silent, indicating pressure to suppress the truth.
Mir described the intense violence that followed: “For over three hours, there was intense firing and shelling, unlike anything I’ve witnessed in Islamabad before. It felt like being in Afghanistan, Lebanon, or Palestine.” He also criticized the media for not reporting the full facts due to state censorship.
He further revealed that during the crackdown, protesters, many of whom were unarmed and only carrying water bottles or slingshots, were subjected to excessive force. Mir expressed concern that some PTI workers, particularly the youth, might become radicalized by their treatment. He warned that if just 1-2% of these individuals decide to take revenge for the brutal crackdown, the situation could escalate further.
Mir also urged the government and state institutions to engage in dialogue rather than taking a confrontational stance. “The way things unfolded on November 26 raises fears of more violence. The government should learn from history and avoid repeating past mistakes,” he cautioned.

The situation in Islamabad has returned to normal following the cancellation of PTI’s planned protest, but tensions remain high.