Ruling coalition says 'May 9 Part-II' attempt by Imran's party fizzled out

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE:

The ruling coalition slammed on Wednesday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for pursuing a "politics of chaos," breathing a sigh of relief as the party's attempts for "May 9 part two" fizzled out under a stringent crackdown.

Emboldened by the PTI leadership's "escape" from the federal capital, the ruling coalition's ministers ridiculed the Imran Khan-led party's strategy.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, addressing the media in Islamabad, accused PTI of propagating false narratives.

Refuting claims of casualties among their protesters, he emphasized that no evidence of such incidents had emerged. "PTI has a history of exploiting incidents to fabricate their martyrdom narrative," Tarar stated.

He revealed that several armed individuals, including 37 Afghan nationals, were apprehended. The minister called the protests a deliberate effort to tarnish Pakistan's reputation during an important visit by Belarusian officials.

The minister said the government was committed to maintaining law and order.

"Pakistanis rejected this politics of deceit and violence," he said, urging PTI to abandon its destructive tactics.

Punjab's Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb declared that the alleged "May 9 part two" plan orchestrated by PTI has been successfully thwarted.

Addressing a press conference, she held the former ruling party responsible for violent incidents and targeting state institutions.

Aurangzeb accused PTI of instigating its workers to attack military installations on May 9 last year, adding that on November 26, "hired terrorists" armed with modern weapons targeted police and Rangers, resulting in their martyrdom.

"They came to D-Chowk, not to protest, but to claim bodies of police and Rangers," she asserted. Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon joined the chorus, accusing PTI of exploiting public sentiment for political gain. He singled out Bushra Bibi, calling her involvement in the protests reckless.

Memon also accused the K-P government of misusing state resources to support PTI's agenda, terming it a betrayal of public trust.

He accused the party of using government machinery and foreign individuals to fuel unrest. Memon claimed that the protests aimed to derail national stability, stating, "This was not a protest but an armed insurgency."

He condemned PTI's actions, calling them a continuation of the May 9 incidents, and questioned the role of K-P's chief minister and Bushra Bibi, who allegedly fled as the situation escalated.

"These so-called leaders used others' children for their agenda while their own families stayed safe," he remarked.