Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has firmly denied that security personnel opened fire on protestors from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during a recent demonstration.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Tarar addressed the foreign media in Islamabad alongside Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal. He stated that both the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic hospital confirmed they had not received any bodies or individuals with gunshot wounds related to the protest.
The Information Minister accused PTI protestors of being armed with advanced weaponry and attempting to breach the capital’s red zone, aiming to cause disruption. He asserted that the role of security forces was to maintain the integrity of the capital and dismissed any claims linking the government to legal cases involving the PTI’s founder.
Minister Iqbal further commented on the legal challenges faced by the PTI leader, emphasizing that these are serious charges that would not be overlooked in democratic societies around the world. He reflected on previous incidents, notably those on May 9, and stressed that no democratic nation would permit attacks on military installations or state institutions under the guise of freedom of expression.
Iqbal criticized the PTI for allegedly exploiting its supporters for political ambitions, a sentiment that was echoed throughout the briefing.