Info minister slams violent protest tactics by PTI. KP CM asks Imran to stop advocating for peace. Says next time we will come out with weapons. PTI chairman calls for comprehensive dialogue after filing complaint against PM Shehbaz over alleged deaths of 12 PTI workers.
ISLAMABAD/ABBOTTABAD - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday lashed out at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and said that under Ali Amin Gandapur’s leadership the PTI has consistently resorted to harmful practices to destabilise both the state and its citizens.
Reacting to Ali Amin Gandapur’s recent remarks, the information minister said PTI has repeatedly resorted to armed groups and illegal Afghan nationals during their demonstrations to create unrest in the country.
Mentioning previous protests staged by PTI, Attaullah Tarar said during these protests, Ali Amin Gandapur’s guards were seen engaging in gunfire. He said that armed groups, equipped with modern weaponry such as stun guns, teargas shells, and grenades, have been deployed in these demonstrations. The minister said these groups have opened fire without provocation, creating chaos and instability in the country. The information minister also recalled tragic events like May 9 and November 26, describing them as some of the darkest days in Pakistan’s history. He remarked that these incidents were direct consequences of PTI’s actions, leading to instability and chaos in the country.
The information minister also referred to an incident during a PTI rally in Multan, where several deaths occurred due to a stampede, while PTI’s leadership continued their speeches without any concern for the loss of life. He said the PTI leadership has always shown a disregard to public safety.
Attaullah Tarar said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already rejected PTI’s call for unrest, and the public will continue to reject such calls for violence and disruption in the future.
Also, Attaullah Tarar on Saturday said the objections raised by President Asif Ali Zardari on the seminaries’ registration bill are completely “constitutional and legal”. “In these objections, there is no mention of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), nor they have any connection with it,” said the minister in a post on X formerly Twitter. He said it is not in the interest of anyone to politicize the constitutional and legal matters. “Linking the registration of seminaries with FATF is nothing but a creation of complete imagination and speculation”, he said.
The Constitution elaborated the complete procedure for legislation, he said, adding the President objected in accordance with the Constitution and the Parliament would also rectify it in the same spirit.
The purpose of these speculations is to target the powers of the President and Parliament, he said, while urging the people not to criticize the issue just for the sake of criticism.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to stop advocating for peace and warned the incumbent government next time the party workers will take to the streets with “guns”.
Addressing a ceremony in Abbottabad, CM Gandapur said: “Imran Khan! For God’s sake, stop advocating for peace. Next time, we will not talk about peace. When we come out with weapons, we will show who runs away.”
Speaking during the event, the firebrand CM said: “We will take to the streets next time without the slogan of peace.” He blasted the PML-N-led coalition government, saying that they were fighting against fascism.
“Fascism has trampled on Pakistan’s Constitution, law, morality and humanity.”
The chief minister slammed Information Minister Atta Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and others in connection with their statements on the Islamabad clashes.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday urged the need for continuing to pursue “comprehensive, unconditional” negotiations between the PTI and the federal government amid hesitation in the party.
However, speaking to reporters outside the Islamabad District and Sessions Court, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said he was “in favour of comprehensive, unconditional negotiations at every stage”.
He added: “It is essential for democracy to find political solutions to political issues. We will proceed in accordance with the law.”
When asked if the party’s demands were conditions for negotiations, he clarified, “We have not given any conditions, these are our demands. We will negotiate on these demands.” “We did have contact with the government, but we were disconnected at a critical stage,” the chairman said in response to a question about prior attempts at talks. “We are hopeful we will reestablish contact and improve the situation […] When there are negotiations, all issues will be resolved,” he told reporters. “Enough is enough. Let us put a stop to everything and move towards improvement.”
PTI files complaint against PM Shehbaz
However, a day ago Gohar had filed a petition with the Islamabad Judicial Magistrate against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, the Islamabad police chief and others over the alleged deaths of 12 PTI workers during the November 26 protests.
According to the petition, the respondents “formulated a plan to deal with peaceful protesters in order to sabotage the constitutional and fundamental rights”. Gohar accused Naqvi of declaring “his intentions that orders had been issued to law enforcement agencies to use lethal force against unarmed citizens” through statements made in the media.
The petition said that on Naqvi’s directives, the other respondents “held consultations and conspired to arrange a coordinated attack on the peaceful protesters”.
The petition accused the PM and the cabinet ministers named as respondents of ordering authorities to use lethal force to “teach a lesson” to the demonstrators on November 26. It listed the 12 PTI workers who were allegedly killed in the protest, as well as 38 workers who were wounded and 139 others reportedly missing.
“Their actions constitute not only a gross abuse of power but also criminal offences under the Pakistan Penal Code … and violations of international human rights standards,” the petition read. “This premeditated conspiracy of the accused to kill unarmed citizens represents a grave assault on the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the sanctity of human life.”
Gohar pleaded that the respondents be summoned through non-bailable arrest warrants and punished and sentenced as per the law. PTI core committee member and lawyer Naeem Panjutha said on X earlier today that the case was fixed for hearing on Dec 23.