The Pakistan Interior Ministry on Sunday issued a detailed statement condemning the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for violent protests that escalated from Peshawar to Islamabad’s Red Zone.
Despite significant provocations, the ministry asserted that law enforcement agencies refrained from using lethal weapons to disperse the crowd, which allegedly included armed miscreants and foreign operatives.
Protest Violations
According to the statement, PTI protesters misused provincial government resources to stage violent demonstrations, defying court orders and putting public safety at risk. The Islamabad High Court had earlier directed authorities to maintain law and order and suggested Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah engage with PTI leadership to ensure peaceful proceedings.
However, the protesters reportedly abandoned their agreed protest site at Sangjani and marched into the Red Zone. Armed with rifles, stun grenades, tear gas shells, and nail-studded batons, they allegedly targeted police, Rangers, and other security personnel.
Law Enforcement Under Attack
The protests escalated into violence, resulting in the deaths of three Rangers personnel and one police officer, with 232 security officials injured. Despite these attacks, including arson and assaults on police vehicles, security forces exercised maximum restraint. The Pakistan Army, deployed under Article 245 of the Constitution, remained focused on protecting critical installations and foreign delegations without engaging directly with the protesters.
Foreign Elements and Leadership Allegations
The ministry claimed the involvement of foreign mercenaries among the protesters, stating that over three dozen operatives were arrested alongside the seizure of 39 weapons, including 18 automatic firearms. The statement also implicated fugitive PTI leader Murad Saeed, accusing him of orchestrating the unrest with a group of 1,500 trained individuals employing a “militant strategy.”
Economic and Social Costs
The protests reportedly inflicted a daily economic loss of Rs. 192 billion due to disruptions in trade, infrastructure, and public safety. Law enforcement vehicles and jail vans were also targeted, causing significant property damage.
The ministry further accused PTI of running a systematic propaganda campaign on social media, using AI-generated content and outdated videos to fabricate claims of deaths and injuries among protesters.
Call for National Unity
In its conclusion, the ministry rejected “violent and divisive politics,” commending the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for opposing such tactics. It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prosecuting those responsible under the law and urged national unity in the pursuit of peace and stability.
PTI leadership has not yet issued a detailed response, though it has previously accused the government of suppressing democratic freedoms and using excessive force against its supporters.
