Talal blames PTI over Pindi attack

Party rejects allegations, demands independent investigation

CALIFORNIA:

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Wednesday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership could not distance itself from a party worker who attacked security forces, arguing that political leaders had a responsibility to examine how their supporters were "trained" and what ideas had been instilled in their minds.

The worker being referred to was identified as Muhammad Hussain, who allegedly opened fire on security forces on Mall Road in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, injuring a patrolling officer before he was killed in retaliatory firing, according to police.

The Rawalpindi police said Hussain belonged to a "specific political party". PTI, however, rejected the allegations, with Islamabad Region President Aamir Mughal saying the party believed in a "peaceful and unarmed political struggle" and should not be blamed without evidence.

Addressing a news briefing, Chaudhry said the incident should serve as "a very big lesson" and warned that politics based on "hatred, division and violence" could have dangerous consequences.

"The first thing is that for years, PTI people and its leadership were told that you can protest, you can do politics, you can govern, but do not do politics of hatred and division," he said.

Chaudhry said political parties had repeatedly been urged to avoid promoting ideas among young people that could have lasting consequences. He argued that when young people were exposed to "hatred and division", they could eventually express those sentiments through violence.

"You cannot simply say that you have no connection with this worker," Chaudhry said, questioning who had trained political workers and "given them this ideology".

He rejected attempts to portray the attacker as mentally unstable and therefore solely responsible for the incident. "He attacked the security forces, the very institution about which you had filled his mind with hatred," he said.

The minister said that the attack had been planned and that the man had directly opened fire, injuring a security official. He also pointed to the alleged recovery of a PTI flag and other material from the suspect, including content from his mobile phone.

Chaudhry linked Tuesday's incident to previous confrontations involving PTI, including the May 9 violence and November 26 protests. He accused the party's leaders of using speeches, social media and internal meetings to promote "hatred and division".

The minister also broadened his criticism to social media influencers and YouTubers based outside Pakistan, accusing them of using political content to generate views and revenue while "playing with fire" and fuelling anger among young people.

PTI rejects allegations

Mughal rejected the allegations, saying the party believed in a "peaceful and unarmed political struggle". He said PTI would condemn any attack on the GHQ if established, but called for an independent investigation and said the party should not be blamed without evidence.

He added that the narrative portraying PTI as a "terrorist, disruptive or anti-state organisation" had been rejected by voters in the February 8, 2024 general elections.