Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah has asserted that the "official number" of deaths among PTI workers during the Islamabad protests did not reach double figures, contrary to the claims made by the party.
Speaking during an interview on a private news channel, Sanaullah said, "I think the official number is around four to five. Three dead bodies were confirmed who had funerals, according to reports. There could be two or three more. But double-figures are not observed".
Sanaullah dismissed PTI's alleged death toll, stating that their claims would backfire on the party.
"The kind of perception that PTI leaders are making, that is not possible. The reason for that is there might definitely have been some loss [of life] as six to eight personnel of law enforcement agencies were martyred so it is no big deal if political workers were hit," he remarked.
According to officials and hospital sources, the three days of unrest resulted in at least six fatalities, including a policeman and three Rangers officials who died in a vehicle collision.
However, government and opposition narratives on deaths caused during the protests remain sharply divided.
Sanaullah accused PTI of mismanaging the situation, claiming, "15,000-20,000 protesters were brought from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by PTI leaders," and suggested that the damages might have been higher had the protesters stayed longer at the protest venue.
He further alleged that PTI leaders abandoned their supporters once the security crackdown began, saying, "No such violence happened there that would have caused 20, 100, 200 or more deaths. This is PTI propaganda".
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