SAFDAR RASHEED

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday asserted that the May 9 rioters, who attacked military installations including Corps Commander House Lahore, would not be allowed to escape the law. “Everyone involved in the May 9 events, the planners, abusers or anyone, will be punished as per the law and Constitution.”

He was addressing the participants of a meeting in the provincial metropolis, summoned to review the law and order situation.

Terming May 9 the ‘darkest day in Pakistan’s history’, PM Shehbaz likened the PTI’s violence to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. TTP set fire to the Jinnah house in Ziarat and the PTI set fire to Jinnah House in Lahore, he said.

TTP attacked the GHQ [General Headquarters and the PTI also did the same, the prime minister said, recalling that the Radio Pakistan office in Peshawar was also vandalized during the May 9 riots.

The prime minister said PTI chairman Imran Khan and his followers stoked terrorism and violence that amounted to anti-state acts. Worker and supporters of PTI caused damage to such a huge extent that even the enemies of Pakistan could not do in the last 75 years, he added.

He observed, these Pakistanis turned into enemies of the country and carried out attacks. Such agonizing incidents will continue to haunt the nation, the prime minister regretted.

While seeking progress on the legal proceedings against the culprits, the prime minister reiterated that during previous meetings, it was decided that anyone involved in the incidents of planning, instigating, sloganeering and vandalism would not escape the iron claws of law.

Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Interior minister Rana Sana Ullah, Law minister Nazir Tarar, Federal minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Advisers to Prime Minister Attah Tarar, Malik Ahmad, Ahad Cheema, Secretary Interior, IG Punjab Police, Incharge CTD and other concerned officer participated in the meeting.