PTI says 12 workers killed in Islamabad protest

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday said that 12 of its workers lost their lives during the recent protest in Islamabad due to the use of force.

Speaking at a press conference, PTI central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that the deceased include seven PTI workers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two from Balochistan, and one each from Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub was also present at the press conference.

Sheikh Waqas accused the federal government of suppressing evidence by pressuring hospitals to withhold information and denying families access to the bodies of deceased. Condemning the government’s action, he claimed that many workers remained missing and thousands were injured.

He alleged that straight bullets were fired at unarmed PTI protesters, contrary to the government’s statement that no shots were fired. “We have videos and evidence showing the use of live ammunition,” Waqas asserted.

He criticized the government for treating peaceful protesters as criminals, questioning the legality of using force against citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest. Waqas further claimed that families were handed over bodies three days after the deaths, accusing the government of attempting to conceal the scale of violence.

Highlighting the plight of detained PTI workers, he alleged that over 5,500 people were arrested before the protest. Many vehicles brought to Islamabad for the demonstration were destroyed by state actors, he claimed.

The PTI leader also criticised the recent resolution in the Balochistan Assembly calling for a ban on the party, vowing to counter it by proposing resolutions against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Omar Ayub demanded judicial accountability for the incident, including a probe into the alleged use of excessive force. “We demand FIRs be registered against the prime minister, interior minister and information minister for their role in this tragedy,” he said.

The PTI leader asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to initiate a judicial inquiry into the events at D-Chowk. The party leaders vowed to continue their struggle and criticised the government for stifling dissent. “This government, built on the wrong foundations, must fall,” said Sheikh Waqas. Umar Ayub praised the efforts of PTI leadership and workers during the protest and expressed hope for accountability and justice for the victims.