Govt Ministers Accuse PTI of Inciting Violence During Protests, Claim Intent Was Not Peaceful Demonstration

Islamabad: Federal ministers have accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of attempting to incite violence rather than holding a peaceful protest, despite a court order banning any such demonstrations in the capital. They further claimed that PTI’s protesters were armed with sophisticated weapons and intended to disrupt the peace in Islamabad.
In a press conference in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Information, Ataullah Tarar, and Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, stated that PTI’s protestors had violated the Islamabad High Court’s order, which prohibited any protests in the capital. Tarar added that while the government offered PTI protesters the option to demonstrate peacefully in Sangjani, they refused and chose to escalate tensions instead.
Tarar emphasized that Islamabad had been under siege for several days, with a group intent on disrupting the city’s peace. “Foreign dignitaries were in the Red Zone for the past two days, and these troublemakers, armed with the latest weapons, including tear gas shells, stones, and slingshots, tried to wreak havoc in the area,” he said.
The Information Minister condemned the actions of the protesters, highlighting that they had engaged in violent acts such as firing, using tear gas, and deploying pellet guns. “We have seen footage of professional militants engaged in these acts. Our security forces, including Rangers and police personnel, were martyred during these attacks. Whose hands are stained with the blood of these martyrs?” Tarar questioned.
The ministers also responded to claims circulating on social media that Rangers had been killed by their own forces. Tarar stated that the identity of the person responsible had been identified as a criminal from Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and accused him of trying to destabilize Islamabad.
Tarar further noted that 37 Afghan nationals had been arrested during the protests. He raised concerns about their presence in a political demonstration, questioning why Afghan citizens were involved in Pakistan’s domestic political unrest. “Afghanistan is our friend, but what were these Afghan nationals doing here? Is this allowed?” he asked.
The ministers also addressed the broader issue of security in Pakistan, pointing to the significant efforts made from 2013 to 2017 to restore peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi. However, they accused PTI and its leadership of fueling terrorism and unrest in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where violence had escalated under the leadership of the PTI government.
“Only one person is responsible for the current wave of terrorism in the country, and that is the leader of PTI, who has consistently promoted violence and extremism,” Tarar stated. He also criticized PTI’s use of religion for political gain, citing their controversial statements about Saudi Arabia.
The ministers concluded by condemning the violence at media houses and the internal turmoil within PTI, pointing out the absence of key party leaders like Asad Qaiser, Hamad Azhar, and Shiekh Waqas in the protest. They dismissed rumors circulating about casualties, stating that hospitals like Poly Clinic and PIMS had confirmed no deaths related to the protests.