Agencies men involved in May 9 attacks: Imran

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has blamed the “agencies men” for arson and shooting in some areas during the May 9 violent protests, which were triggered following his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

In a tweet from his official handle on Monday, the former premier said his party has “ample amount of evidence” to prove that agencies’ men carried out arson and shootings during the protests to blame it on PTI.

His statement comes shortly after the military’s top brass vowed to try protesters and their abettors under relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act, after PTI workers and supporters stormed military installations on May 9, which the army dubbed as “Black Day”.

The decision came during a Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) held at the General Headquarters with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in the chair, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Following the arrest of Khan, who has criticised the military since his ouster in April last year, the PTI workers stormed the military installations and ransacked the Lahore’s Corps Commander house, originally known as Jinnah House, among other public properties.

“The forum expressed [a] firm resolve that those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/ equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act,” the statement mentioned.

Without referring to the military’s statement, the PTI chief wrote: “We have ample amount of evidence to present to any independent inquiry that the arson and in some places shootings were done by agencies men who wanted to cause mayhem and blame it on PTI so the current crackdown would be justified.”

In a video statement, Khan said the government buildings and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House were ransacked under the “organised conspiracy”.

He said miscreants were infiltrated into the PTI protesters and instigated his workers, video evidence of which he said available with the party.

“I want an independent inquiry [into the vandalism]..,” he said adding that this was all being done under the “London plan” to ban his party and put all the leaders behind bars.

Earlier in another tweet, he also shared videos stating that PTI Punjab chapter President Dr Yasmin Rashid and her sisters “clearly telling the protesters not to harm Jinnah house”.

“Clearly this was all stage managed by those who wanted to use this as a pretext to further crackdown on PTI, jail our workers and senior leadership along with me so that the assurances given to NS [Nawaz Sharif] in the London plan could be honoured,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders poured scorn on the government ally party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) of Maulana Fazlur Rehman for violating Section 144 and breaking through the gates of the Red Zone and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

PTI’s Central Information Secretary Farrukh Habib, senior leader Hammad Azhar and party’s Islamabad region President Ali Nawaz Awan said Fazl’s trained militia violated Section 144 and broke the gates of the Red Zone and occupied the gates of the Supreme Court, but neither the army nor Islamabad police could be seen anywhere.

“A religious militia that is also a government ally party has attacked the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The police stood by and allowed the seminary student to climb onto the SC gates. There are strong clues that the arson and rioting in the aftermath of Imran Khan’s arrest was also perpetrated by individuals that were planted in the peaceful crowd in civilian attire. This was followed by strong shooting at the protestors leading to dozens of deaths,” tweeted Hammad.

In a statement, Ali Awan said despite imposition of Section 144, the Islamabad police were facilitating the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) sit-in in front of the apex court. He said that according to Article 245 of the Constitution, the security of the Red Zone was entrusted to the Pakistan Army, but ironically the security personnel were seen nowhere.

Meanwhile, the PTI issued special instructions to its lawmakers and ticket-holders to provide full legal assistance to the martyred, injured and arrested party workers during the peaceful protests across the country.

Acting Secretary General Umar Ayub Khan issued a circular in this regard. It was instructed that the PTI would provide all legal assistance to its martyred, injured and detained workers. In this regard, all former PTI members of National and Provincial Assembly and ticket-holders would make all arrangements for the legal assistance.

According to the PTI Central Media Department here, the “imported government” had started breaking all limits of cruelty, and by putting senior PTI leaders in jail, they deliberately started playing with their lives.

It said PTI Senior Vice President Dr Shireen Mazari’s health had deteriorated rapidly, accusing the federal government and the jail administration of criminal negligence regarding her health and treatment.

Her family approached the Islamabad High Court for treatment and Dr Mazari’s daughter Iman Mazari submitted a formal written petition in high court, requesting for her immediate medical examination and transfer to a hospital for treatment. She was picked up from her residence in Islamabad around 2:30 on May 12.

Commenting on a fiery speech of so-called leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz, Farrukh Habib said the conscience-selling characters like him had turned the National Assembly into an auction house.

“People will make Imran Khan prime minister again and Raja Riaz’s poll security in Faisalabad will be forfeited by the people and it will be made a symbol of political lesson,” he claimed.