- Sarwar says attacks on installations tantamount to anti-state acts.
- “All those involved in crimes should be given exemplary punishment.”
- Slams PTI for adopting policy of confrontation with institutions.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan became the latest leader to part ways with the party over May 9 violent protests, saying he “strongly condemned the policy of confrontation with the state institutions”.
In a video statement on Thursday, the ex-federal minister also demanded punishment for rioters who attacked defence and public installations across the country following PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir trust case last month.
“Pakistan’s forces have rendered sacrifices for the survival and protection of the country,” he said, adding that attacks on martyrs’ monuments, the General Headquarters (GHQ) and other sensitive installations were tantamount to anti-state acts.
Referring to the attacks on the GHQ and Lahoore’s Jinnah House, the minister said the protesters attacked the “heart of Pakistan”.
“I condemn all those unholy actions… all those involved in such crimes should be given exemplary punishment,” he added.
Moreover, Sarwar also hit out at his party saying that he strongly condemned the policy of confrontation with the institutions.
“I disagreed with the confrontational policy at every forum of the party. We should not fight with institutions,” he remarked.
His statement emerged on social media a day after he was arrested from Islamabad over his alleged involvement in the May 9 protests, police sources said on Wednesday.
A large number of workers and supporters of PTI staged almost countrywide demonstrations on May 9 — when the PTI chairman was arrested by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the alleged Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
The demonstrators destroyed public and private properties and ransacked relics of martyrs.
Following the violent protests, dozens of party leaders and lawmakers including Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, Shireen Mazari, Ali Zaidi, Aamir Mehmood Kiani and others have parted with the party over the violent protests.
