ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Ataullah Tarar has criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while talking about the undeniable evidence regarding the events of May 9 which has been presented to the nation.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, he stated that the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including its founding chairman, must apologise to the nation for “their involvement in orchestrating the attacks”.
Tarar highlighted that despite PTI’s claims of innocence, substantial audio, video, and CCTV footage has surfaced, directly implicating key party leaders such as Yasmin Rashid, Shehryar Afridi, Usman Dar, and Murad Saeed in planning and executing attacks on military and defense installations. “The evidence shows Yasmin Rashid mobilizing a mob towards the Corps Commander’s house, while Murad Saeed urged supporters to reach their targets,” he said.
The minister also shared details of the violence, which included attacks on monuments honoring martyrs. “These acts were part of a calculated conspiracy to strengthen PTI’s political narrative at the expense of national security,” Tarar claimed.
He accused the PTI leadership of attempting to provoke bloodshed to create chaos. “Their plan to incite violence was thwarted by law enforcement, but not without a cost,” Tarar noted, mentioning the loss of an Islamabad police officer’s eye and injuries sustained by several personnel during efforts to prevent rioters from wreaking havoc.
The minister released audio clips of other PTI figures, including Mahmood Moulvi, Imran Ismail, and others, who allegedly outlined plans to target key locations such as Jinnah House and GHQ. These individuals, now dissociated from PTI, claim the planning occurred at Zaman Park, Tarar said.
He further criticised the PTI leadership for tarnishing Pakistan’s global reputation and accused them of pursuing personal vendettas at the nation’s expense. “No enemy in 77 years has inflicted the damage that PTI’s supporters have done,” he said, emphasizing the urgency of concluding the pending May 9 cases.
Calling for accountability, Tarar urged the judiciary to expedite decisions in these cases to bring the culprits to justice. He also reiterated that the CCTV footage and related evidence are intact and tamper-proof.
The minister concluded by demanding a public apology from PTI’s leadership, asserting that their actions were not only a betrayal of national interests but also aligned with adversarial agendas. “The nation must decide whether these people represent Pakistan or its destruction,” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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