The government of Punjab demands PTI hand over alleged “terrorists”
Minister alleges 40 rioters are hiding out in Imran’s house; says no decision has been made to arrest PTI leader
Several suspects in the May 9 violence have been hiding out at the home of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in Zaman Park, a provincial minister in Punjab stated on Wednesday.
Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir warned at a press conference that the government would be compelled to take severe action if the PTI refused to give over the “terrorists in Zaman Park to the law-enforcement agencies.”
The interim communications minister told reporters that “some 30 to 40 people, accused of attacking military installations, are hiding at Khan’s home.”
We are issuing a final warning that if these terrorists are not handed up to the authorities, action will be taken. The deadline for Khan to hand up the suspects is tomorrow at midnight. If he does not cooperate, “police operation will be launched.”
Terrorists who target military institutions, Mir said, will be judged by military courts. This process has been approved by both the federal and caretaker Punjab administrations.
After Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, several government-owned private houses were set on fire and vandalized. The home of the Corps Commander in Lahore and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi were among those targets.
After the attacks on the Corps Commander House, Mir told the press that the government had evidence of constant contact between anti-state individuals and Zaman Park.
In his words, “the PTI has become a non-state actor like the banned TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan] after being removed from power,” implying that the party no longer upheld the law and the Constitution and instead attacked the writ of the state through mischief.
He demanded that the PTI’s leadership cease protecting criminals and turn over individuals responsible for the tragic events of May 9 to the police promptly so that they might be punished legally.
Vandalism and malice are more lethal than the corona virus, and only surgery can cure them. “Soon we will perform the major surgery necessary to cure the disease of terrorism,” he promised.
The minister added that in Imran Khan’s final video message before his arrest on May 9, the politician urged party members to engage in arson attacks if he was taken into custody.
For the first time in Pakistani history, a “political party” launched an attack against the General Headquarters (GHQ), the Jinnah House (JH), the Martyrs’ Memorials (MM), and other army institutions. He claimed that before only the TTP was responsible for such attacks.
Mir said that none of the previously detained political party leaders had ever incited their workers to assault the army, despite spending time in the custody of the Nation Accountability Bureau (NAB).
It’s the first time the PTI has carried out terrorist attacks against the army and the state at Imran Khan’s behest, and they were widely condemned. “The law enforcement agencies acted with restraint, but the criminals were reckless,” he said.
According to him, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and other organizations are currently helping in the identification of the criminals. He vowed that the situation would not change until the last perpetrator was apprehended.
Mir added that all demonstrations and parades were illegal in the city. He emphasized that the administration had decided to take a hard line against anybody who dared to defy the law.
Mir later responded to Imran’s tweet by denying that he was wanted for arrest by Punjab police. Mir emphasized that “no such decision” had been made. And, “as always, the Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman is making false claims to provoke the people,” he said.
