Minister accuses Imran of being behind May 9 violence

Marriyum Aurangzeb says Imran’s anti-nationalist mindset fully exposed now

ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday, of planning attacks on sensitive installations, buildings, ambulances, schools, hospitals, mosques, highways, and national assets.

In a statement in response to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s recent remarks about the violence on May 9, the minister stated that previously, Imran had repeatedly threatened with attacks if he was arrested.

She termed Imran’s statement his “confession”, she repeated that Imran was the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks in Pakistan. “You [Imran] and your planning are behind the desecration of the memorials of martyrs and Ghazis,” she added.

She also mocked the PTI chairman, saying “Imran did not have any information about [PTI workers] attacks, terrorism and arson just as he did not know about his marriage during ‘Iddat’ and being a father of Tyrian White,” he charged.

The minister said that the names of the chief of army staff and the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) were repeatedly taken by Imran because they had refused to meet the “foreign agent” behind closed doors.
“Because no secret meeting in the President’s House was held, so the army chief and DG ISPR were being named by PTI repeatedly,” she said. “Before advising DG ISPR, Imran should change the name of his party to “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Terrorism”.

Marriyum stated that Imran would be held accountable for the alleged corruption of Rs60 billion. “Imran Khan and his spouse have grabbed precious land in [the name of the] Al-Qadir Trust],” she claimed.

Terming Imran a foreign agent, she said his anti-nationalist mindset had been fully exposed now. “Like foreign funding, foreign agents and their agendas have been fully exposed,” she remarked.

The Information minister also said in her statement that those who attacked ambulances, schools, hospitals, mosques, metros, highways and national assets were Imran’s terrorists and anti-national elements.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that PTI “divisive politics” was endangering the security of the state and if this continues, “extreme measures” would be taken against the party.

He said this during a meeting with PML-N Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt, who called on him at his residence in Model Town on Sunday.

Butt, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the PM was very concerned about the security and harmony of the state. He said that the premier feels that PTI was deliberately creating unrest in Pakistan for its ulterior motives.

He added that agencies were investigating if PTI was working on behalf of any internal or external element to spread anarchy. He said that the PM was not in favour of banning any political party, but he felt that if PTI does not withdraw from the path it was on, then the state will have to employ extreme measures.

He further said that the premier was of the view that currently it was incumbent on everyone to educate the masses and expose the real “grotesque face” of PTI.

The senator said that Imran’s recent speech made it clear that he was not willing to retreat.

He pointed out that a day ago, he made a speech against the army chief, which meant that “he was trying to sow a speed of discord in armed forces”. He also said that the state will not tolerate it.

He further said that government cannot sit back and become an idle spectator.
To a question regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said that this did not come under discussion with PM. He said they had only discussed the political and security situation of the country. He added that his meeting with the PM lasted for 45 minutes, and the premier met other party leaders at his residence.

A party leader said that Prime Minister Shehbaz has also called a federal cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss the ongoing political situation of the country.

 

With input from APP