PTI workers resorted to violence and barged into the Sindh House after protesting outside for hours against disgruntled party lawmakers, who are staying in the building, in Islamabad on Friday.
Hordes of the party workers — including MNA Ataullah Niazi — participated in the demonstration and chanted slogans against the disgruntled PTI lawmakers and in PM Imran Khan’s support.
Meanwhile, the PTI and Insaf Student Federation (ISF) workers in Faisalabad also protested against MNA Raja Riaz at the Zila Council Chowk and demanded the lawmaker’s resignation from the party. As a result, a heavy contingent of police was deployed outside the MNA’s house for his security.
The demonstrators held placards and posters depicting the faces of the MNAs covered in black ink. A huge crowd blocked the road and chanted slogans against the MNAs. A similar protest also took place in Peshawar against MNA Noor Alam Khan.
Following the incident, two PTI MNAs — Attaullah Niazi and Faheem Khan — and 12 PTI members were arrested by the Islamabad police for partaking in the protest.
Addressing the violence outside the Sindh House, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had issued orders to arrest the PTI supporters, who were involved in the “unfortunate incident.”
Condemning the turn of events, he said that the situation is now “under control” and added that the inspector general of police Islamabad has been instructed to arrest all people involved in the violent protest.
He further said that security has been tightened around the lodges and police have been instructed to take strict actions against protesters.
PPP leader Sharjeel Memon termed the storming a “failure” of Islamabad police and the interior ministry, saying “we consider the attack on Sindh House an attack on the Sindh province.”
The way PTI federal ministers had been questioning why policemen from Sindh were deployed at the building had received their answer now, he said. He claimed that two PTI MNAs — Faheem Khan and Ataullah — were also part of the group that stormed the Sindh House.
“When they were taking such actions, Islamabad police were silent. If Sindh police were not there today, PPP MNAs who were staying inside with their families would be in danger. Imran Khan has been defeated. Now he wants a clash.”
Memon appealed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Supreme Court to “immediately” take notice of this “terrorist attack” inside the Red Zone and for a case to be registered against “federal ministers and MNAs who were involved”.
“We are peaceful now. We should not be forced to start such incidents as well which we are not in the mood for right now because we have been [restrained] by our leadership. Do not test our patience.”
He said all political matters should be taken to the parliament, warning that if such attacks happened again then “your houses will not remain safe either”.
“We have also seen Bani Gala and the Prime Minister House. Then we will see who saves you.”
Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani reacted in a similar manner to the incident, saying: “If PTI thugs don’t return, then we also know the way to the [Sindh] Governor House.”
He said in a statement that PPP workers would surround the Governor House in Sindh if PTI workers would not leave the Sindh House in Islamabad.
Ghani added that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid would be responsible in case of any harm to a lawmaker.
Following PTI members’ protest against Noor Alam Khan, he took to Twitter and claimed that he and his sons are receiving threats.
“Receiving threats telling me what we did with Benazir Bhutto shaheed and Bashir Bilour shaheed [, we] will do [it] with you and your three sons. I [have] saved other numbers who have given threats [….] present leadership will be responsible.”
Following the incident, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and wrote that the government should “go home” if it has any sense of shame left.
“God willing, you will not be able to save the government, but if you have any sense of shame left in you, then go home,” she wrote.
Maryam further wrote that since the government has not been “elected,” it has no reason to show resistance. “The only option left for you is to resort to thuggery, but that will also backfire.”
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while reacting to the development, tweeted that the Sindh House is situated in a “sensitive area” in the proximity of the Chief Justice House, ministers’ colony, and the residences of other important personalities.
“PPP and PML-N turncoats should shift from [the Sindh House to some other place] otherwise, this show will continue throughout the month,” he said. “How many people will [the government] stop?”
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communications Dr. Shahbaz Gill on Friday said Prime Minister Imran Khan was standing firm on his principles and for the self-determination of the country.
Shedding light on the ongoing circumstances in the country between the government and opposition, he in his tweet said, “Whatever is happening today had to happen. I knew this three years ago that these thieves (opposition) can’t see the Captain (Khan) in power.
He said some were giving excuses of unfaithfulness while some of betraying. “But the real thing is that Khan will stand firm on his principles and for Pakistan’s self-determination,” he said.
While talking about Sindh House incident, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Shahbaz Gill has said that the workers should not have broken the gate of Sindh House.
Shahbaz Gill took the two arrested workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) out of the police station and mentioned it before the media that Raja Riaz got the millions of votes because of Imran Khan. He told the workers to protest within the ambit of law. We will not let the demand go, this time the people will not remain neutral, do not take the law into their hands, there will be peaceful protest.
He further said that the whole nation stands with Imran Khan, we will not allow buying and selling, our army is the crown of our head, PTI will not speak ill of any institution like PML-N, we are Muslims. Not inferior like PML-N, the army and the government are on the same page for the defense of Pakistan, the army should not be dragged into every issue, we are in the government at the moment and we have to follow the law in every situation.
Shahbaz Gill said that it is a bad thing to sue the workers of any party for terrorism. If a worker breaks a flowerpot then there is no terrorism.
“We will convene a meeting of the National Assembly very soon. We can spend more money than them. These people are using the resources of Sindh government. We will not do any illegal, non-parliamentary work. We are like them,” he said.
