Country can ill-afford chaos, says PM

Shehbaz pays rich tributes to fallen Rangers soldiers

RAWALPINDI:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday Pakistan could not afford any chaos and bloodshed to achieve political vested interests, as he paid rich tributes to three Rangers personnel, who embraced martyrdom, while performing duties during the ongoing protest in the federal capital.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, along with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Army Chief Gen Syed Asim Munir and other serving military and civil officials, attended the funeral prayers for the three martyred soldiers.

According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Naik Ramzan Shaheed, 47, from the Karak district; Sepoy Gulfam Shaheed, 29, from the Rawalpindi district and Sepoy Shah Nawaz Shaheed, 33, from the Sibi district, embraced Shahadat during the ongoing protest.

"Pakistan cannot afford any chaos and bloodshed for achieving vested political purposes. These acts of violence are unacceptable and highly condemnable which are bordering the limits of restraint by the law-enforcement agencies," the prime minister stated.

"The entire nation pays homage to the martyred Rangers soldiers and all those police officials who have embraced Shahadat and those who are injured during these riots", Shehbaz said. Later the bodies were flown to their native towns for burial with full military honour.

According to security sources, the unfortunate incident occurred on the Srinagar Highway, when miscreants rammed a vehicle into Rangers personnel, who were being deployed at a post. Three paramilitary Rangers were martyred, while three Rangers and police personnel were seriously injured.

CCTV footage of the incident showed that miscreants in a speeding vehicle crushed Rangers personnel. According to the footage, the tragic incident took place at 2:44 am, Tuesday.

Four Rangers personnel and two policemen have been martyred in attacks on law-enforcement agency (LEA) personnel by miscreants during their protest march – which began from K-P on Sunday. More than a hundred LEA personnel have been injured, many of them seriously.

According to the sources, Army had been called out in the federal capital under Article 245 of the Constitution, with orders to deal with anarchists with an iron hand. The sources added that clear orders had been given to shoot the anarchists and miscreants on the spot.