PTI senators condemn May 9 violence

The PTI senators on Monday submitted a resolution in the upper house of parliament, condemning the May 9 incidents, and called for strict action against those who were involved in the grisly acts of violence on that day.

The resolution was tabled by Faisal Saleem, Seemi Ezdi, Falak Naz Chitrali, Dr Zarqa Suharwardy and others.

It condemned the attacks on the General Headquarters, Lahore corps commander’s house – also known as the Jinnah House, military installations and public properties on May 9.

The resolution noted that the Lahore corps commander’s house was vandalised on that day whereas valuable belongings of Quaid-e-Azam and memorials of martyrs were set ablaze.

Noting that several schools and historic buildings were incinerated on May 9, the house, in the resolution, expressed solidarity, reaffirming an unwavering support to the institutions, armed forces, security agencies and people affected in the violence.

Later, the senators addressed a news conference in parliament.

Senator Saleem condemned the May 9 riots, saying they were ashamed that military installations were attacked on that day.

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Calling for strict action against those who were involved in the violence, Senator Seemi maintained that she could not image that anyone could attack the army installations as her family members had served the army, calling for strict action against the perpetrators.

Senator Naz termed May 9 as the worst day in her life, condemning the attacks on the Yaadgar-e-Shuhda and the government properties. She said her brother and nephew were serving in the army.

Expressing her patriotism, Dr Zarqa stressed that first they were Pakistanis and whereas their other associations stood secondary, castigating the riots in the strongest terms.

She demanded that the innocent people who were arrested for their involvement in the May 9 violence should be released and that those who were found guilty be tried in civil courts.

On May 9, violent protests erupted across the country following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan by paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau in the Al-Qadir Trust case, later retitled as National Crime Agency £190 million scandal.

Protesters ransacked government properties and military installations, including the GHQ and the Lahore corps commander’s house.

The government held the PTI responsible for the attacks and carried out a nationwide crackdown against them, stressing that nobody involved in the heinous acts would be spared.

However, on May 11, the Supreme Court came to Imran’s rescue, declaring that his arrest was “illegal” and ordered his release.

On May 12, the IHC stopped the authorities from arresting the PTI chairman in any case, including undisclosed ones, filed against him anywhere in the country till May 15.

It also granted the PTI chief interim bail for two weeks in the National Crime Agency £190 million scandal.

Following their arrests and rearrests, several PTI lawmakers, including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar and Maleeka Bokhari, distanced themselves from the party, condemning the May 9 riots.