Ministers defend action against PTI

Tarar denies direct firing on protesters

ISLAMABAD:

Federal ministers on Thursday took aim at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for maligning state institution through propaganda. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated categorically that no direct firing was done by the law enforcement agencies during operation to flush out Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protestors.

Talking to foreign media, along with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, he said that there was clear policy of the government that no direct firing will be done on protestors.

The minister said that there were no fatalities in the operation and both major hospitals of the Capital – Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and Polyclinic had issued statements that no dead bodies were brought there.

Besides, the Ministry of National Health Services also issued a statement denying the PTI's claims that its workers were killed in security forces' firing. The minister stated that a list circulating on social media regarding the death of protesters was declared fake.

The minister said that the federal capital was besieged for the past several days by the miscreants belonging to a political party and this was not the first time they had done so.

He said that the Belarusian President and his delegation was present in the red zone when the PTI protestors besieged the capital.

The minister said that the miscreants had modern weapons, tear gas shells, stones and slingshots with them and they were targeting the law enforcement agencies personnel.

Planning Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal said that the jailed founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, is not a political prisoner but is facing serious charges of corruption and incitement of violence.

These charges involve encouraging the public to attack sensitive installations, with the intent of sowing chaos and anarchy in the country.

"It should be clear to the international community that Mr. Imran Khan is not being victimized. He is not a political prisoner. He faces serious allegations, and no politician, public office holder, or celebrity in the Western world would be allowed to go unpunished for such actions," he said.

He drew a parallel to recent racial riots and arson in the UK, highlighting the swift and decisive action taken by the British judicial system.

Iqbal emphasized that PTI had attempted to create mayhem in Islamabad in recent days, bringing armed protesters to not only stage a sit-in but also to occupy the Parliament House, as they had done in 2014. "At that time, they had stormed the Red Zone under the guise of a sit-in, eventually overrunning the Parliament House and setting fire to the PTV headquarters," he added.