May 9: Atta Tarar accuses PTI of ‘orchestrating’ unrest

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Atta Tarar accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders of orchestrating a series of violent attacks during nationwide protests on May 9 last year.

Tarar claimed that there was “irrefutable evidence” linking PTI to an organised conspiracy aimed at vandalising state institutions.

Read more: PTI workers will not come out for protest on Bushra Bibi’s call, says Marwat

The information minister stated that there was CCTV footage from major cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, which apparently shows PTI leaders directing their supporters to target government and military installations.

He claimed that the attacks were “premeditated” with instructions given to party members to engage in acts of ‘vandalism’.

Atta Tarar accused several prominent PTI leaders, including Yasmin Rashid, Shehryar Afridi, and Usman Dar for the May 9 conspiracy.

He alleged that the attackers were armed with spiked clubs and engaged in looting and destruction, leading to huge damage to public property.

In a series of statements, the information minister condemned the alleged actions of PTI. He declared the events of May 9 as an attempt to undermine national security and create a false political narrative.

He called for immediate ‘justice’ for those involved in the riots, stating that the accused should face the consequences of their actions.

Read more: LDA seals over 90 properties in crackdown on illegal commercial use

Tarar demanded the PTI leaders to apologise to the nation and take responsibility for the chaos that ensued during the protests. He called for all the cases related to May 9 be resolved ‘quickly’.