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Journalism of Courage
The Pakistani government has made public CCTV footage from the May 9 riots, urging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to apologise for the violent protests.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar showcased “exclusive” evidence linking PTI leaders and supporters to attacks on military and government installations, according to Geo news.
“The evidence is undeniable,” Tarar stated while presenting videos, audio recordings, and photographs of protesters allegedly vandalising key sites, including General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, PAF Air Base Mianwali, and Radio Pakistan Peshawar.
He accused senior PTI figures of orchestrating the violence and urged the judiciary to deliver swift justice to set a deterrent precedent.
Tarar revealed footage from various cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, and Peshawar, showing coordinated attacks on sensitive locations such as memorials of national martyrs, Fort Bala Hissar, and the Punjab Regiment Centre in Mardan. He alleged that PTI leaders provided explicit instructions to target these sites.
“They [PTI] kept asking for evidence, and now it is in front of everyone,” he remarked, accusing the party of advancing narratives harmful to national security. Referring to PTI as “Tehreek-e-Inteshar” (Movement for Chaos), Tarar criticised the party for allegedly damaging Pakistan’s identity and infrastructure, as reported by Geo news.
Despite PTI’s repeated denials, the footage implicates its leadership in what the government calls a “well-organised conspiracy.” The military previously termed May 9 as “Black Day” and announced trials under the Army Act for those involved in the riots, which left eight dead and caused extensive damage.
Concluding, Tarar urged PTI to accept accountability and apologise to the nation, emphasising the need to prevent such unrest in the future.
(with inputs rom Geo news)
