by India Today World DeskImran Khan and his supporters are “no less than terrorists”, said Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, as he cracked down on those who damaged state properties and raided the residences of senior army officers.
“Imran Khan Niazi and his mob are no less than any terrorist or anti-state groups. Imran Niazi and his mob did what the external enemy could not do for decades. Punishment for the actions of all those who were part of this catastrophe will be exemplary. The law will take them all into its custody and the protesters will be punished as per the law and the Constitution,” Sharif said while addressing the media in Lahore.
Read this also | Will tell the whole of Pakistan…: After getting bail, Imran Khan has returned to his home in Lahore
“The site of the burnt down Corps Commander House breaks my heart. These terror mobs attacked the memorials, residences, offices and camps of the officers who sacrificed their lives and made compromises for the security of this country. I have directed that the planners, executioners and conspirators of these terrorist attacks should not be spared. All of them should be arrested and cases should be tried against them in anti-terrorism courts. There should be no other way of dealing with this situation as it is a case of ‘do or die’.
The Prime Minister gave 72 hours to the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab and the officials to identify the culprits and arrest them all.
Sharif also hit out at his predecessor for his remarks on the army chief, calling the statements “a reflection of a sick and obsessive mindset”.
Read this also | From Jail to Bail: What Happened in Pakistan After Imran Khan’s Arrest
“Imran Niazi’s statement about Army Chief is a reflection of his diseased and obsessive mindset. As DG ISI, General Asim Munir exposed Niazi’s corruption syndicate and that is why he has been defaming the COAS since day one. It is also his confession that he is the mastermind of the tragic and shameful incidents of terrorism perpetrated by PTI goons at his behest. The desecration of martyrs’ memorials and attack on national establishments represents an unimaginable fall in our politics. The country stands by its armed forces and will thwart any nefarious attempt to weaken them.
Pakistan has been witnessing large-scale violence, arson and lawlessness since former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested by armed paramilitary forces from the premises of the Islamabad High Court on May 9. Khan’s supporters took to the streets across the country, setting vehicles and buildings on fire. , storming the residences of army officers, blocking highways and pelting stones at police and other officials.
Read this also | Stone pelting, shelling on Islamabad highway, 30 protesters arrested