Group in political garb did what enemy couldn’t in 75 years: Army

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army Wednesday said May 9 would be remembered as a dark chapter in the country’s history when its installations and properties were attacked under a well-planned conspiracy.

The statement came as two days of violence following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan led to the death of at least seven people while scores were left injured in Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore. Dozens of incidents of arson saw multiple state properties severely damaged across the country, prominent among them the Radio Pakistan building and offices of the Associated Press of Pakistan in Peshawar.

Earlier, the army stated that May 9 would be remembered as a black chapter in the country’s history when its installations and properties were attacked and anti-army slogans were raised under a well-planned conspiracy, following the arrest of PTI chairman who, according to NAB, was taken into custody from the Islamabad High Court in accordance with the law.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said the army troops deputed on duty demonstrated patience, tolerance and restraint to the violent acts of a group of miscreants. “In the larger national interests, the troops, without caring for their repute, demonstrated utmost patience and tolerance,” it said.

The media wing of the Pakistan Army pointed out that “under nefarious planning, a heinous attempt was made to make the army give an immediate reaction, which could be used for nefarious political purposes, but mature response given by the army foiled the conspiracy.”

“We are well aware that behind it were orders, directives and complete pre-planning by some sinister party leadership,” the ISPR statement said.

The facilitators, planners and political activists involved in the protests had been identified, asserting that strict action would be taken against them “as per the law and all these evil elements will now be responsible for the consequences,” it said. “Any further attack on the army, including all law enforcement agencies, military and state installations and properties will be severely retaliated, the responsibility of which will be on this very group that wants to push Pakistan into a civil war and has expressed it multiple times.

“No one can be allowed to incite people and take the law into their hands,” the army’s media wing added.

The ISPR said, on the one hand, “these miscreants evoke the nation’s emotions for achieving their limited and selfish objectives and on the other hand, they deceive people, continuing to highlight the army’s importance. This is an example of hypocrisy.”

It said that “this group wearing a political cloak” has done what enemies could not do in 75 years, all “in the lust for power”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address to the nation on Wednesday night, warned miscreants to stop causing violence in the country, otherwise, they would be dealt with an iron hand. Observing that damaging property of the state was an act of terrorism and anti-state action, the PM maintained that action against those involved in such acts would be taken as per the Constitution and law. He said the security and integrity of Pakistan were dearer to them than their lives, saying that miscreants would not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs. Shehbaz reiterated that Imran Khan was arrested on corruption charges and there was all evidence against him in the Al-Qadir Trust case. “The approval regarding 190 million pounds issue was sought while waving a sealed envelope at the federal cabinet’s meeting,” Shehbaz said, questioning how it could be the cabinet’s decision when no summary was seen at the meeting. He pointed out that Imran Khan was the first beneficiary of the amendment to the accountability law by the present regime. He said 90-day remand was used to be given as per the previous accountability law.

The prime minister said they could not express pleasure over the arrest of any leader, saying that it was the responsibility of a leader that he should stop his workers from crossing the law’s red line. “But the violent groups, by attacking sensitive installations and raising anti-army slogans, did what our enemy could not accomplish in 75 years,” he said. He also paid tributes to the masses for rejecting the anti-state agenda and also appreciated the role of the Pakistan Army, police and law-enforcement agencies. Also, military troops were called in to assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order in the federal capital Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Earlier, the federal cabinet meeting, chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif, approved the deployment of Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the Constitution in Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the country. The federal cabinet allowed the requisition of Pakistan Army troops in aid of civil power on the recommendation of the interior ministry under Article 245 of the Constitution.

Following approval by the federal cabinet, the Ministry of Interior issued orders, authorising the deployment of Pakistan troops and assets for the maintenance of law and order situation in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The orders say that decision to requisition the Pakistan Army was taken in pursuance to the request made by the office of the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb strongly condemned the attacks on the building and offices of Radio Pakistan and Associated Press of Pakistan in Peshawar by the armed PTI gangs. In a statement, she said the attack on the offices of Radio Pakistan and APP by the PTI armed gangs was condemnable and deplorable.

Meanwhile, at least seven people died and scores were left injured in incidents of violence from Peshawar, Quetta, and Lahore besides incidents of arson that saw multiple state properties severely damaged across the country, including the Radio Pakistan building and offices of the Associated Press of Pakistan in Peshawar.

In Peshawar, at least four people lost their lives while more than a hundred suffered bullet injuries after the PTI protest turned violent. The deceased were identified as Ibrar, 27, Dir Colony, Sikander, 20, Shaheen Muslim Town, and Bilal of Landikotal. The fourth was yet to be identified. Similarly in Quetta, one protester lost his life and two were killed in Punjab clashes.

The protesters set on fire precious national assets, including the historic Radio Pakistan Peshawar building and caused serious damage to public and private properties. Since the Radio Pakistan building also houses the offices of the state’s news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, the protesters attempted to reach them.

The PTI protest continued for the second consecutive day and the party activists gathered on the GT Road near Balahisar Fort where they blocked the road for traffic. The military authorities and Peshawar police also parked heavy containers on the Khyber Road and blocked it for all types of traffic. The road passes through the Peshawar Cantonment where sensitive installations are located, including the official residence of the corps commander. Senior PTI leaders and office-bearers were conspicuous by their absence in the protest rally. Most of the protesters were quite young. They stopped an ambulance from Edhi Foundation, disembarked a patient and started hitting it with sticks and kicks. Finally, the ambulance was overturned and then set on fire.

There were several armed men, and some of them were seen carrying AK-47 assault rifles and pistols. The protesters opened fire at the police and in the subsequence exchange of gunfire, four people were killed and more than 100 injured. The wounded people were taken to nearby Lady Reading Hospital. The LRH spokesman, Mohammad Asim, said they had received four bodies and 95 injured by firearms.

Senior security officials told The News they had obtained enough material from cameras installed in different locations of the city and would initiate legal proceedings against those involved in damaging public and private properties. “At least 42 people have been arrested from Peshawar city for violence, ransacking and torching private and public properties,” the spokesman for Peshawar Police said.

He said SP City Abdul Salam Khalid, SP Saddar Malik Habib, SP Rural Zafar Ahmad, SP Security Atiq Shah, DSP Shakil, four SHOs Ashfaq, Tehsinullah, Naeem Haider and Ijaz Nabi were among 36 policemen wounded during pelting of stones and other violent attacks by the protesters. Some of them suffered bullet injuries.

In Swat, the police and district administration arrested 44 PTI workers and activists, including former ministers Dr Amjad Ali and Shafiullah, during the ongoing crackdown against the local leadership of the party. Former lawmakers, including Malik Liaqat, Azam Khan, tehsil chairman Saeed Khan, Khurshid Khan, adviser of former minister Murad Saeed and other office-bearers were also held in the swoop.

In Balochistan, the PTI activists protested in Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Chaman, Qila Saifullah, Muslim Bagh, Duki Harnai, Ziarat, Sanjawi and other parts of the province, demanding the release of Imran Khan.

Enraged PTI workers took to the streets in different areas of Balochistan including Quetta. One young worker of the PTI was killed and four others sustained injuries in a clash between police and protesters on Airport Road Quetta. The body of the deceased was shifted to Sandeman Provincial Hospital where he was identified as Umer Aziz (27), a resident of Loralai.

Main highways linking Balochistan with other parts of the country were also blocked by the workers. The Pak Afghan Highway near Kojak Top area of Chaman city bordering Afghanistan was blocked by the PTI workers. Mir Ziaullah Langove, Minister for Home Tribal Affairs and PDMA, said the law-enforcement agencies were alert to cope with any emergent situation in the province.

PTI senior leader and former federal minister Asad Umar were rounded up on Wednesday. He was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). According to the report, nearly 1,000 people including various main party leaders including Omer Sarfraz Cheema and Fawad Chaudhry were arrested. The PTI leader was arrested under 16 MPO after he emerged from the Supreme Court where he remained holed for almost the whole of Wednesday to evade arrest.

In Islamabad, a group of PTI activists, equipped with lethal firearms, attacked the Police Line Headquarters (PLH) Islamabad, but the police force deployed in and around the premises foiled their attempt, a police spokesman confirmed. He said during the spar between the police and the attackers, the miscreants opened fire at the police. A cop identified as Hakim Khan sustained a bullet injury and was shifted to PIMS hospital. However, the wounded cop was declared out of danger by a team of surgeons. The PTI miscreants set on fire the office of the SSP Islamabad Police, Industrial Area. According to a spokesperson for the Islamabad police, the miscreants forcefully entered the SP office and set on fire the entire record of the police station.

The violent protesters had also blocked the traffic on Srinagar Highway from G-11 to G-14 and blocked traffic on Islamabad Expressway on Sohan as well. The protesters attacked the children and women in private vehicles and looted goods from the trucks. They blocked different roads including Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk, Shamsabad, Faizabad, Rawat T-Chowk, Waris Khan, Kutchehry Chowk, and other areas of Rawalpindi while violent skirmishes between the police and the protesters continued till late Tuesday night. They set fire to tyres and garbage lying on the side of the roads. Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chatha said that strict implementation of Section 144 would be ensured by the district administration.

The Islamabad police have arrested over 130 PTI activists under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and 16 under Maintenance of Police Order (MPO), while, over 700 were booked under sedition, anti-terrorist act and instigating people to attack military installations. In Hafizabad, police registered a case against more than 50 PTI activists under ATA. Police said that the arrested workers had been detained in jail for one month under 3 MPO. The detention orders were issued on the summary, which was presented to the government.

“Police teams arrested 945 lawbreakers and miscreants from across Punjab,” officials said in a statement to the media, adding 130 officers and officials were injured in the violence since Tuesday including DIG Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi. Rizvi had received a serious injury on his eye socket and head. The victims are undergoing treatment at Lahore Services Hospital. DIG Elite police Sadiq Ali Dogar has been handed over an additional charge of DIG Operations Lahore. At least six FIRs in Lahore including of attack and vandalising a sensitive installation in Cantonment were also registered. PTI leaders Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mehmood Rasheed and others have been nominated in these FIRs.

In Lahore, on Wednesday, the PTI workers attacked Shadman police station and torched over half a dozen police vehicles. Askari Tower was also set on fire. Reportedly, a body with burn injuries was recovered from the plaza. The PTI workers kept on clashing with police at four major points Zaman Park, Liberty Chowk, Jail Road PTI main office and The Mall Road. They set fire to tyres and used other things to block roads. The protestors also pelted the police with stones. The cops used tear gas shelling and batons to disperse them. The total number of arrests in different districts has risen to 1,380, according to sources. A spokesperson for Punjab Police said with the help of CCTV recordings and video footage, a careful review is being taken to identify and arrest miscreants. At least 190 people were arrested by the Rawalpindi police as a result of a crackdown on the PTI leaders, workers and supporters.

Separately, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the party’s biggest fear was that Imran Khan was in custody and his life was under threat. Qureshi said the Punjab government sent a requisition for the deployment of the army, which was surprising. “When the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court asked for security for the May 14 elections, it was said that the army could not be deployed due to security challenges, but surprisingly today, the deployment of the entire army has been announced for Punjab. It is a huge contradiction and the Chief Justice should take notice of it,” Qureshi said. He said police raided his residence in Ghousia Complex, Multan and vandalised the doors of Bab al-Quraish Secretariat office and arrested his nine workers and pilgrims from Sindh which is a shameful act. Among those arrested are Amjad Tanyu, Rafiq Tanyu, Ameer Solangi, Hub Ali Solangi, Waseem Tanyu, Noor Hasan Mehr, Hakim Tanyu, Imran Pirzada, Nauman Noomi, he said. Meanwhile, Kotwali police registered a case under different sections of CrPC including the Anti-Terrorism Act and 16MPO for creating law and order and violating section 144 in Multan. The FIR 478/23 nominated 36 PTI workers.

The Gujranwala district police also registered cases against 113 nominated and 900 unknown PTI activists for firing, murder, inflammatory speeches and damage to government properties. In Sialkot, five policemen were injured due to stone-pelting by protesters late on Tuesday night. In Kasur, charged agitators staged protest demonstrations, blocked roads by burning tyres, used harsh and abusive language against state institutions, disturbed public tranquillity and spread terror. In Kasur, police lodged criminal cases against more than 600 including 150 nominated workers of PTI. In Toba Tek Singh, the police arrested PTI’s Kissan Wing President Mehr Mumtaz Daultana, and Mehr Umerullah Saleempuri from Pirmahal.