- Protests involved trained miscreants and illegal Afghans under leadership of Murad Saeed: Spokesperson
- Claims LEAs personnel neither given live ammunition, nor permitted to use weapons to disperse crowds
- Ministry claims PTI’s protests resulted in an estimated Rs192b in daily losses to economy
ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry has claimed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s resources were used indiscriminately during the protests that took place in Islamabad, following a call for demonstrations by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
A spokesperson for the ministry stated that the protests involved trained miscreants and Afghan nationals unlawfully staying in the country, including 1,500 absconders and miscreants, under the leadership of Murad Saeed, who it stated was a proclaimed offender.
He said that during the violent protests, law enforcement agencies, including police and Rangers, refrained from using live ammunition to disperse the crowds. “Furthermore, the military was not deployed to manage the violence, with its presence limited to securing key installations,” the ministry added.
The spokesperson claimed that armed guards accompanying PTI leadership and armed protesters opened indiscriminate fire, which escalated the violence. PTI leadership, according to the ministry, opted to flee rather than address the situation at hand.
In response to the allegations circulating on social media, the ministry stated that PTI had launched a concerted propaganda effort, falsely accusing law enforcement agencies of causing deaths during the protests. However, hospital administrations in Islamabad have denied these reports, with the ministry highlighting that old and AI-generated false videos were being used in the propaganda.
The ministry further noted that PTI’s protests had resulted in an estimated 192 billion rupees in daily losses to the country’s economy.
It condemned the actions of PTI and its social media operatives, stating that those behind the “creation and spread of fake news and divisive narratives would be held accountable under relevant laws.”
The statement also highlighted that the people of Pakistan, including the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, strongly reject the violent and extremist tactics used by PTI in its political protests, reaffirming their commitment to peace and stability.
Moreover, a press release by the ministry addressed the events of November 26, when protesters breached the Red Zone, defying orders from the Islamabad High Court.
“Violent clashes ensued, with protesters using firearms, tear gas, stun grenades, steel sling shots, and nail-studded batons against law enforcement agencies. Additionally, 39 lethal weapons, including 18 automatic weapons, were recovered from the protesters, with several of the apprehended offenders identified as foreign nationals.”
As for the material damages, the ministry estimated the losses to be in the hundreds of millions, with at least 11 law enforcement vehicles, including prison vans, being damaged or set on fire during the protests.
Earlier, on November 22, the Interior Ministry had sent a letter to KP’s Chief Secretary, instructing that no state resources or finances be used to support PTI’s protest activities. The KP government had also been advised to ensure that its machinery, equipment, and personnel were not involved in any political activity, as per the guidelines provided by the ministry and the Establishment Division.
