The recent “violent protests” organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) resulted in indirect economic losses of Rs192 billion per day, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry.
In a press release on Sunday, the Interior Ministry claimed that PTI and its social media supporters were focused on “creating divisions and confusion in society”.
“Such elements, whether domestic or foreign, will be held accountable under the relevant laws, and no one will be allowed to instigate divisions, spread hatred, or propagate fake news,” the statement said.
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The press release emphasised that the people of Pakistan, including residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reject this “violent and extremist approach to politics”.
It pointed out that on November 26, the protesters reached Red Zone violating the lawful orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and directly clashed multiple times with the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) using fire arms, tear gas shells, stun grenades, steel sling shots and nail studded batons.
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It said that LEAs comprising Police and Rangers were employed without live ammunition to disperse the mob while Army neither came in direct clash with them nor employed for riot control.
It claimed that “armed guards” of the protesting leaders and “hard core armed miscreants resorted to indiscriminate firing”.
Once the area had been cleared from the protestors, site media visit was also promptly undertaken by both the Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi followed by the press talks.
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Interior Ministry claimed that social media accounts of PTI resorted to “planned and coordinated massive fake propaganda of deaths” caused by LEAs so as to “divert attention from this senseless, violent and failed activity”.
The ministry claimed there had been multiple false claims of deaths on social media as well as PTI political leadership and their official pages.
It said the government functionaries including ministers as well as Chief Commissioner ICT and senior police officials, who were directly involved in the “riot control operations”, had already repeatedly explained and clarified the actual situation and events unfolding with credible evidences.
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