Miscreants did what enemy could not do in 75 years; Army declares May 9 as ‘black chapter’
Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
After Tuesday’s incidents of attacks by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers on the Corps Commander Lahore’s official residence and other key military and state installations, the Inter-Services Public Relations on Wednesday warned all the miscreant elements and made it clear no such hooliganism would be tolerated any more.
In a statement, the army’s media wing said that May 9 would be remembered as a “black chapter. We will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands,” it said.
“Any further attack on the army, including all law enforcement agencies, military and state installations and properties will be severely retaliated, the responsibility of which will be on this very group that wants to push Pakistan into a civil war and has expressed it multiple times.
In its first direct reference to the leadership of the PTI, the ISPR stated that Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court “in line with the NAB statement and law”. “Immediately after this arrest, attacks were perpetrated on the army’s properties and installations while anti-army slogans were raised.”
The ISPR said that on the one hand, “these miscreants evoke the nation’s emotions for achieving their limited and selfish objectives and on the other hand, they deceive people, continuing to highlight the army’s importance”. “This is an example of hypocrisy,” it stated.
The military’s media wing said that a group “wearing a political cloak” has done what enemies could not do in 75 years, all “in the lust for power”.
“The army showed patience and restraint and exercised extreme tolerance, not even caring about its reputation, in the larger interest of the country,” it said.
“With this situation created under nefarious planning, a heinous attempt was made to make the army give an immediate reaction, which could be used for nefarious political purposes.
“The Army’s mature response thwarted this conspiracy. We are well aware that behind it were orders, directives and complete pre-planning by some sinister party leadership,” the statement added.
The ISPR said that the facilitators, planners and political activists involved in the protests had been identified, asserting that strict action would be taken against them “as per the law and all these evil elements will now be responsible for the consequences”.
“No one can be allowed to incite people and take the law into their hands,” the army’s media wing added.
The ISPR statement comes a day after the PTI chief was whisked away by paramilitary forces from the premises of the IHC in a case pertaining to the Al-Qadir Trust. He has now been handed over to the National Accountability Bureau for eight days.
Following Imran’s arrest, massive protests broke out across the country, with a number of demonstrators gathering outside military cantonments, General Headquarters Rawalpindi, and offices of the Frontier Crops. A number of anti-military hashtags also started trending on social media.
