LAHORE: Punjab’s Information Minister, Azma Bukhari, accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of instigating unrest similar to the events leading up to the creation of Bangladesh and called for a ban on the party.
She expressed concerns over recent PTI protests in Islamabad, claiming they were designed to sow the seeds of circumstances that led to the partition with Bangladesh.
Bukhari alleged that PTI has been using resources from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to fuel its anti-federal agenda. She reported that, during a recent protest, 120 Afghan nationals were detained, and a police constable was killed. Bukhari questioned the motivations behind these violent actions.
The minister claimed that PTI leaders want to recreate an era of political chaos, referencing Khalida Zia’s time in Bangladesh. She criticized the party for involving children and vulnerable people in protests, only for them to discover they were being used to further violent objectives.
Bukhari also accused PTI activists of arriving armed, challenging their claims of being a peaceful party. She highlighted the destruction of police vehicles and security cameras as examples of their violent tactics. According to her, these actions represent a direct affront to the state.
She urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s residents to question why their province lags behind Punjab in development, blaming PTI’s leadership for this disparity. Bukhari suggested that PTI’s ambitions are more about destabilizing the country than political reform.
In a final warning, she indicated that any attempts to disrupt upcoming events, like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, would not be tolerated.
Concluding her remarks, Bukhari suggested that PTI should be banned for its alleged treasonous activities, with its leaders held accountable for their actions.
