Imran instigated May 9 mayhem: Shehbaz

PM vows not to let ‘barbaric incidents’ happen again

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed his resolve to bring the elements behind the May 9 arson and vandalism attacks to justice, vowing that the entire nation would not let such “barbaric incidents” happen in the future.

“As the chief executive of the country, it is my responsibility to ensure legal proceedings under the law and Constitution against all those rioters and miscreants who planned, abetted, and executed attacks on different civilian and military installations across the country,” the prime minister said while addressing the ‘Azmat-e-Shuhada Convention’ held to pay tribute to the country’s martyrs.

The convention was attended by a large number of families of the Shuhada, governors, members of parliament, ministers, provincial ministers, ambassadors, legislators, civil society members, ulema and senior officials.

The prime minister said that incidents of May 9 were intolerable and unpardonable as the monuments and statues of Shuhada of armed forces and law enforcing agencies were vandalised.

“We will not let it happen again and will keep the national flag high. We will not allow anyone to malign our armed forces,” he said, adding that they would make all the perpetrators of the May 9 incidents face the law.

As the prime minister, he assured that the law would take its course, stressing that people behind the incidents would not be given any concession and would not be pardoned as “they have crossed the red line”.

He said those elements also hurt sentiments of the families of Shuhada, adding that such a heart-wrenching spectacle was never witnessed in the past.

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However, the prime minister reiterated that no innocent would be framed in these criminal cases.

Referring to the unfortunate incidents on that day, he said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Niazi had instigated his followers to create such a mayhem.

He said the country’s history was replete with different cases of politicians. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Shaeed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif faced arrests and trials upon baseless allegations, but their followers never went violent and damaged the country.

“During the previous tenure of the PTI, the entire opposition was pushed to the wall, but they faced all the ordeals with fortitude and never thought to mount any attack on any civilian or military installation,” he maintained.

Terming the May 9 incidents as “highly lamentable” in the country’s history, he said on the other hand, the PTI chief was arrested in a corruption case, but prior to it, he was inciting his followers to spread violence by attacking different civilian and military installations in case of his arrest.

The prime minister said the whole nation wanted an answer from the PTI leadership as to why Quaid’s House, Radio Pakistan and other buildings were ransacked and torched to ashes.

He said even India could not achieve its nefarious designs after waging the 1965 war, but the PTI leadership and its followers inflicted huge damage on the country. “The nation will not forgive it.”

The prime minister said Quaid’s Pakistan existed due to the sacrifices of Shuhada, as they had left behind their orphan children but saved the coming generations.

Paying tribute to martyrs, he said the martyrs of the nation, even did not care for their lives thus securing peace for the nation. It was all due to their precious blood they shed for the nation and its future. Business of life went on due to their sacrifices, he added.

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The prime minister said that these Shuhada did not belong to one party or group, they were respected by the nation and it should be borne in mind that by holding of the Shuhada convention, they reaffirmed their resolve that such esteem and affection for the Shuhada would be maintained forever.

The prime minister said if there was any trouble inside the country or at the country’s borders, including threats of terrorism, the officers and personnel of the armed forces, law enforcing agencies and police force faced them with valour.

The prime minister also stressed upon inculcating the young generations with the ideals of the founder of the nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, including the democratic norms, patience, and tolerance.

The premier also went to the different members of families of Shuhada and interacted with them.

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal, in his address, condemned the May 9 attacks on state buildings and military installations in several cities.

Paying tributes to the country’s martyrs, he reiterated firm commitment not to tolerate such illegal and unconstitutional acts in the future.

Samar Bilour, a leader of the Awami National Party, Maulana Raghib Naeemi, a renowned religious scholar, Minister for IT Aminul Haque, and Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman also spoke on the occasion.

They paid rich tribute to martyrs and their families and denounced the incidents of May 9 which amounted to anti-state activities. (With input from app)