PTI leaders incited violence instead of controlling situation: Sherry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environment Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership is yet to condemn the violent protests that have been ongoing in the country, despite the chaos and destruction caused by the party’s workers.

“They should have immediately condemned the violence and taken steps to control the situation, instead of fueling it further and encouraging workers to destroy everything,” the minister said while criticising the PTI’s response to the situation.

She said after long and violent 24 hours, the PTI leaders claimed that the party had no connection to the violent protesters. She said that instead of calling off the violent protests and apologising, Imran Khan and other PTI leaders were justifying the violent acts, which is unacceptable.

The minister mentioned that the organised attacks were carried out on sensitive installations and the government and private properties were damaged. “This was not an appropriate reaction to a lawful arrest and that PPP strongly opposes and condemns violent political protests in any form,” she added.

Sherry said it is the job of a political party’s leadership to prevent provocation, to not incite violence, and not incite attacks on national institutions and public properties. “The way the PTI leadership used the protesters and violence for political interests is highly irresponsible and condemnable,” she added.