In partnership with
Profit
NSC ENDORSES DECISION TO TRY MAY 9 RIOTERS UNDER MILITARY ACT Wednesday, 17 May, 2023 I 26 Shawwal, 1444
g
PM-LED HUDDLE REITERATES ‘ZERO TOLERANCE’ POLICY FOR VIOLENCE AND MISCHIEF IN COUNTRY
T
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
ERMING the May 9 “the blackest day in the country’s history”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said all the miscreants involved in the arson and rioting would be brought to justice and given exemplary punishment. “Millions of Pakistanis are upset on what happened on May 9 and they are demanding to hold all planners and instigators of the attack on security installations and historic buildings like the Jinnah House in Lahore, accountable”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared while speaking at the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) here on Tuesday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the highpowered NSC meeting, which was attended by senior
g
Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 317 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
PARTICIPANTS OF MEETING ANNOUNCE TO OBSERVE MAY 9 AS BLACK DAY AT NATIONAL LEVEL
cabinet ministers, three services chiefs, DG ISI and other relevant officials. While the civil and military leadership promised to bring to justice those behind the violent protests, they stressed the need for dialogue over confrontation to resolve the political differences. A statement issued by the PM office after the NSC meeting read: “The meeting endorsed the decision to initiate trials against the perpetrators, conspirators, and facilitators under relevant laws including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act, to ensure justice.” The meeting reiterated that the policy of ‘zero tolerance’ would be adopted by not tolerating violence and mischief in the country. The meeting announced May 9 as Black Day at the national level. The NSC meeting expressed solidarity with the Pakistan armed forces, strongly condemned the violent in-
cidents and vowed to bring all culprits to justice without victimizing the innocent people. Speaking to participants, the prime minister said in the last meeting, he had directed the authorities concerned to register first information reports against the culprits involved in the incidents and arrest them within 72 hours. He said the people of Pakistan were upset and furious over what happened in the country as the incidents also brought disgrace to the nation. PM Shehbaz said the Jinnah House that was burnt and destroyed by the miscreants was the abode of the valour troops who were busy with safeguarding the nation from its enemy. Army Chief General Asim Munir on Monday chaired a special corps commanders conference, which decided to try perpetrators, planners and executors of such attacks under the Pakistan Army and official secret act. The participants reiterated their commitment that any violation of the sanctity and dignity of military installations and public property will not be tolerated and that all elements involved in the Black Day of May 9 will be brought to justice. The forum made it clear that no concessions will be made against those who attack military installations and locations under any agenda. The meeting directed to ensure strict implementation of rules and regulations of social media so that the propaganda carried out with external patronage and internal facilitation can be tackled and the elements who commit it are brought to justice. While the NSC vowed to bring to justice those behind violent protests, the civil and military leadership emphasised forging national unity in an increasingly complex geo-strategic environment due to global political conflict and destabilisation policies of hostile powers. The forum also stressed the need to resolve political differences through dialogue in accordance with democratic values rather than confrontation. However, observers believe that in the present situation it is not clear if any consensus can be achieved given the crackdown on the PTI and its supporters.
Former minister Shehryar Afridi, non political wife arrested from Islamabad house ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Shehryar Khan Afridi, a senior member of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested by Islamabad police along with his non-political wife Rabia Shehryar in the wee hours of Tuesday as authorities use pretrial detention as a punishment for the opposition party. The arrest took place in Sector F-8 of Islamabad, with the police showing no arrest warrant and cited the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law, which allows detention without charges for up to three months but which can be further extended, as the basis for the apprehension. According to PTI and family sources, there is no information about the whereabouts of Shehryar Afridi and his wife. The PTI condemned the violation of sanctity of house by the law enforcement agencies and demanded action against the violation of human rights enshrined in the constitution. The arrests comes as part of an ongoing crackdown on the leadership, activists, and supporters of the party in connection with the violent protests that occurred following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9. The PTI has been facing increased scrutiny and action from law enforcement agencies as a result of the unrest. In addition to Afridi’s arrest, Fayazul Hasan Chohan was also taken into custody in Rawalpindi. Chohan, who was on his way to the press club from Liaquat Bagh, was detained by authorities. ALI ZAIDI’S HOUSE DECLARED AS SUBJAIL: Meanwhile, in Sindh, the provincial government has declared the home of former minister Ali Zaidi as a sub-jail. This decision was made following Zaidi’s arrest on May 9 by law enforcement agencies in response to the disturbances in the Baloch Colony area. The arrests of these prominent PTI figures and the declaration of Zaidi’s house as a subjail underscore the intensifying efforts by authorities to maintain law and order amid the recent wave of protests and violence.