At least 10 people were killed during violent protests over Imran Khan’s arrest
Islamabad:
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Saturday warned against further attempts to vandalise security installations after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters attacked and caused damage to security installations on May 9, reported Dawn.
“The armed forces will not tolerate any further attempt of violating the sanctity and security of its installations or vandalism and resolved to bring to justice all the planners, abettors, instigators and “executors of vandalism on the Black Day of 9th May,” the army chief said.
General Munir’s comments came as he visited the Corps Headquarters Peshawar, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released Saturday.
“We shall continue with our endeavours of peace and stability and there will be no room for spoilers of the process,” he said.
The PTI chief’s arrest on May 9 in the Al-Qadir Trust case triggered violent protests from the party workers who damaged public properties and attacked military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander House and the General Headquarters (GHQ).
During the days-long violent protests, at least 10 people were killed and dozens of others sustained injuries with the internet services remaining suspended for over 72 hours.
Following the protests, the armed forces said that May 9, 2023, would go down in history as a “dark chapter”.
General Munir pledged to foil such nefarious attempts with the support of the people, added the statement, reported Dawn.
In an unprecedented show of vandalism, PTI supporters had attacked and caused damage to the historic Corps’ Commander’s House — originally known as Jinnah House and which once served as the residence of the founding father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah — and other military installations including attacking the GHQ building in Rawalpindi hours after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case on May 9.
An FIR was later registered against leaders and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for attacking and damaging the state properties and installations.
The ousted prime minister Imran Khan was arrested from inside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises earlier that day, triggering protests in many cities of the country by party activists and supporters as they clashed with law enforcement agencies.
In a statement, the ISPR had said after the PTI chief’s arrest from the Islamabad High Court on National Accountability Bureau’s orders, a “well-thought-out plan” was witnessed in which the army was targeted.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) called the PTI leaders “hypocrites” for inciting their workers against the armed forces on the one hand, and other, they were praising the military — in a bid to overshadow their criticism.
