Minister for Local Government, Housing Town Planning, and Public Health Engineering Sindh Saeed Ghani, stated that had action been taken against the 2014 sit-in protesters, the tragedy of May 9th could have been averted. Addressing the Sindh Assembly on Thursday, Ghani criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its confrontational stance, emphasizing the party’s claim of being above the law and judiciary.
Ghani clarified that while he holds no personal grudge against PTI political workers, those who threaten the country’s institutions should be considered political agitators. Referring to Khan’s famous statement, “No Khan, No Pakistan,” Ghani cautioned against idolizing leaders to the extent of endangering the nation and its institutions. Regarding the incident in March where police were attacked while serving a warrant, Ghani condemned the act as terrorism.
He recounted an MNA’s statement implying that without Khan, there would be no Pakistan, labeling such individuals as political workers. Ghani reiterated that while he respects PTI’s political workers, any attempt to undermine national institutions would not be tolerated.
He emphasized that leaders who endanger institutions cannot be considered true leaders. Reflecting on the events of May 9th, Ghani highlighted the videos and images circulating from the incident, underscoring the seriousness of the offenses committed by those involved. He acknowledged that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was the most affected party by the incident on December 27th, referring to Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
Ghani asserted that the nation commemorated the sacrifices of the armed forces on May 9th, and the locations chosen for protests were linked to various military institutions. Ghani concluded by asserting that Imran Khan had not only challenged Parliament, the judiciary, the Election Commission, and the media but had also disregarded the constitution.
He warned against pardoning those who commit crimes, as they are likely to repeat their actions, and emphasized that the weakness of the military is not a victory for politics but a triumph for enemies of the state.
