‘Group of terrorists’: PM Shehbaz orders FIRs against PTI ‘rioters’ following Islamabad crackdown

ISLAMABAD: Following the recent clashes between PTI supporters and law enforcement in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday accused the Imran Khan-founded party of being a “group of terrorists” and instructed authorities to file cases against the rioters.

The prime minister made these remarks during a high-level meeting addressing the country’s law and order situation.

“This is not a political party, but a fitna [mischief] and a group of terrorists,” Shehbaz said.

He criticized the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for allegedly using state resources to launch an assault on the federal capital during the recent three-day protest by the former ruling party.

Shehbaz slammed PTI, whose government was ousted through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, calling it the “fourth invasion” of Islamabad. He also referenced PTI’s 126-day sit-in in 2014, saying, “No one could have imagined such harmful intentions before 2014.”

The prime minister noted that the 2014 sit-in not only damaged Pakistan’s reputation but also hurt its economy, adding that the visit of the Chinese president had to be canceled due to the PTI protest.

He further accused PTI of attempting to disrupt the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit by planning to “attack” Islamabad ahead of the event.

PTI had called on supporters to gather in Islamabad on October 15, the date of the SCO summit, but later canceled the protest after the government promised to address concerns regarding Imran Khan’s treatment. Khan has been imprisoned since August last year following his conviction in the Toshakhana case and other legal matters ahead of the February 8 elections.

Regarding the recent violence, PM Shehbaz stated, “They [PTI supporters] killed a policeman and four Rangers personnel, and many law enforcers were injured by gunfire.” He emphasized that it was time to take strict action against the rioters.

“Should we hand Pakistan over to this [PTI] terrorist party?” the prime minister questioned.

He made it clear that PTI would not be allowed to destroy Pakistan, adding, “We need to break these hands [of the rioters].”

The prime minister also highlighted the economic toll of such protests, stating that the protests and sit-ins have cost the country’s economy Rs190 billion per day.

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