‘Wall of Shame’ for May 9 planners, attackers under consideration

ISLAMABAD: Authorities are considering creating a “Wall of Shame” at the Jinnah House, Lahore, containing photos of those who had planned and vandalised the residence of the Lahore corps commander on May 9.

An informed source said that a wall of the Jinnah House, which is the official residence of the Lahore corps commander, would be specified for this purpose and without repair would contain the pictures of the planners and attackers of May 9.

Other parts of the Jinnah House, it is said, will likely be renovated for future use. The Wall of Shame will be a permanent part of the historic building for continuing shame for those who had ransacked and set ablaze the Jinnah House.

It is not clear as yet whether or not the ‘Wall of Shame’ will be open for ordinary visitors. On May 9, following the arrest of Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in different parts of the country became violent and attacked many public and private properties. Targets of most of these attacks were defence buildings, installations, symbols, memorials, etc, including the GHQ, Rawalpindi, and Jinnah House, the corps commander’s house.

The pattern of these attacks and audio and videos of several PTI leaders suggested it was a pre-planned attack. Later, the Pakistan Army, federal and provincial governments, police and security agencies came up with an unambiguous claim that these attacks were pre-planned and the target was the Pakistan Army and defence and security installations. PTI Chairman Imran Khan denied it and alleged that the agencies’ men infiltrated the PTI protest and caused violent attacks to create a reason for ban on his party. However, the authorities investigating these attacks insist that they have adequate evidence and statements of those arrested, proving their claim that these attacks were pre-planned and there was a clear plan to hit the military symbols, buildings, etc.

The sources endorse Faisal Vawda’s statement that the law enforcement agencies have concrete evidence, including voice notes, voice cuts and the record of digital communication that shows how the PTI leadership coordinated and planned the attacks on military installations, particularly the General Headquarters, Jinnah House and other government buildings. Apart from the GHQ and other sensitive military installations, it was also planned to attack the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters by the miscreants.

Faisal Vawda had told this newspaper a few days back that the directions were coming from the second tier of PTI leadership and the PTI workers were provoked through an organised and well-planned strategy.

Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir also told a private TV channel that there were also failed attempts at the corps commander houses in Gujranwala and Multan.

After the initial few days of silence, now the PTI leaders have started condemning the May 9 attacks. They are also distancing themselves and their top leadership and PTI from the shameful act. But the authorities appear pretty confident with the kind of evidence they have already against the party and its leadership for planning, instigating and abetting these attacks.