PM constitutes task force to proceed against Islamabad protesters; PTI to file cases against govt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday established a task force, chaired by Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, to identify the suspects allegedly involved in the violence in Islamabad during the PTI rally earlier this week and take strict action against them.

More than 10,000 protesters surged into the city on the weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back, AFP reported.

As PTI supporters inched towards the heavily barricaded D-Chowk late on Tuesday, the police and security forces employed intense teargas shelling to disperse the protesters.

After a day of clashes between security forces and protesters in the city’s Red Zone ended in the party leadership’s hasty retreat, the PTI announced in the early hours of Wednesday that it was calling off its planned protest sit-in “for the time being”.

In a meeting a day ago regarding the law and order situation in the wake of the PTI rally, the prime minister had said there was a need for a dedicated force to deal with mobs and protesters and directed the authorities to establish a dedicated anti-riot force to deal with future protests.

Chairing another high-level meeting today to review the law and order situation, the prime minister decided to form the task force. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and representatives of the security forces were also picked as members of the task force.

He also decided to establish a dedicated Federal Riot-Control Force to prevent future incidents in the country. The unit would be highly trained and armed with the necessary equipment in line with international standards.

The meeting’s participants also decided to set up the Federal Forensic Lab, where modern technology and methods would be used to investigate and collect evidence of riots. The participants agreed that the Islamabad Safe City project would also be modernised, while the federal prosecution service would be strengthened.

PM Shehbaz highlighted that Pakistan was moving towards stability and development, adding that the enemies of the country’s development would never succeed in their nefarious designs.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was the land of brave and proud people.

“A handful of disruptors do not represent [the] honourable and respectful Pakhtun community,” the prime minister said, adding that the protests on November 26 were rejected by the people of KP and all Pakistanis.

He stressed that it was the responsibility of all citizens to stop such “nefarious attempts” and to protect the country and its economic and national security.

PTI announces filing cases against govt, says 12 protesters confirmed dead

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Peshawar, PTI Central Information Secretary Waqas Akram said there were 12 confirmed dead protesters as per the party’s records.

He claimed there were reports of many more missing, injured or dead.

“Funerals and martyrdom are not hidden.”

Akram said the party was collecting more data and would share it in time. He also lashed out at the government’s stance of no firing on protesters, saying the PTI’s data proved otherwise.

The party spokesperson the resolution in the Balochistan Assembly calling for the PTI’s ban and suggestion of governor’s rule in KP as “idiocies”.

Akram said the party would pursue legal cases against the government and police officials.

“We consider Shehbaz Sharif, the interior minister and information minister responsible. All these people … are the murderers of our children and martyrs. They are the ones to give orders and threats … you will have to answer in the courts as per the law and the Constitution,” he said.