Referring to the violent riots that broke out across the nation following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2018, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on Thursday that there “can absolutely be no soft-pedalling of what happened on that day last year.”
Referring to the violent riots that broke out across the nation following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2018, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on Thursday that there “can absolutely be no soft-pedalling of what happened on that day last year.”
In addition to symbols of our national pride and honor being targeted, the sanctity of our holy homeland was also assaulted, according to the premier, on that day.
The prime minister said, “Let the light of truth be hidden by the shadows of lies.”
Using the hashtag “May 9 Never Again,” PM Shehbaz continued, saying, “Love of our country demands nothing less.”
The day “separated two thoughts of politics — those who sacrificed politics for the state and those who attacked the state for politics,” the premier had added in another post last night.
In addition to symbols of our national pride and honor being targeted, the sanctity of our holy homeland was also assaulted, according to the premier, on that day.
The prime minister said, “Let the light of truth be hidden by the shadows of lies.”
Using the hashtag “May 9 Never Again,” PM Shehbaz continued, saying, “Love of our country demands nothing less.”
The day “separated two thoughts of politics — those who sacrificed politics for the state and those who attacked the state for politics,” the premier had added in another post last night.
The prime minister swore, “That May 9 never again to the holy land, the great martyrs, their families, and the nation.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to advancing development in order to provide future generations with a promising future.
May 9 would “always be remembered as a dark day in country’s history,” according to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
On May 9 of last year, “a politically instigated mop ran amok across the country, damaging public property and military installations,” as the president and the prime minister recalled.
President Zardari denounced the violence and said that the “unfortunate incidents severely tarnished the country’s image, which only served the interest of Pakistan’s enemies” in a statement released last night.
The president of Pakistan took pride in the country’s institutions and armed forces, calling the incident a “attempt to challenge the writ of the state, undermine the rule of law, and weaken the institutions.”
He emphasized that the law should be followed in order to hold individuals culpable for the violence on May 9.
President Zardari reaffirmed that it will never be accepted to abuse the freedom to peaceful protest in order to promote violence.
He did, however, emphasize that “all political parties work towards promoting tolerance, democratic values, and political dialogue, and provide a clear direction to the nation” in light of the “current political situation.”
In order to deepen democracy, the president called for political parties, Parliament, the media, and civil society to defend the rule of law and promote an inclusive, tolerant, and political discourse culture.
He expressed sadness and denounced the hostile social media campaign directed towards state institutions, advocating for the establishment of a system “to check and counter such disinformation campaigns.”
Plans for ceremonies
According to Radio Pakistan, PM Shehbaz is currently leading a special meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad.
At the Jinnah Convention Center, the information ministry will host a special event at which the premier will speak. Attendees from all walks of life are urged to “pay befitting homage to our glorious martyrs and their families.”
In response to the events of May 9, the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) and the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) have announced that they will host a special prayer ritual at Radio Pakistan in Peshawar.
The chief guest of the occasion will be Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and youngsters from several Peshawar schools will also take part, according to the statement.
According to the source, Radio Pakistan will broadcast live from the Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad on May 9, which is another program related to the May 9 activities.
Government honors martyrs on May 9 anniversary
The administration has chosen to observe May 9 in solidarity with martyrs and their families in observance of the first anniversary of the May 9 violence, which mostly targeted military sites and martyrs’ monuments.
However, the PTI, which has been subjected to a crackdown following the riots, intends to host events around the nation in support of its imprisoned leader, former prime minister Imran Khan. Authorities in Islamabad and Punjab have already implemented Section 144 to quell the PTI’s protests.
Electronic media is still airing ads in the run-up to the May 9 anniversary that bring back memories of violent rallies, clashes between mobs and police, attacks on and invasion of the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, and vandalism of the residence of the corps commander in Lahore.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had earlier described the events on May 9 as the “biggest conspiracy” planned to undermine the nation’s defense and integrity as well as its progress. He asserted, “The events of May 9 were deliberately designed to weaken the nation’s defense.”
The PTI reported that nearly 10,000 of its employees had been detained, but the government insisted that it had only detained a small number of individuals. The PTI claimed that the riots were a false-flag operation orchestrated by the establishment to topple the previous ruling party, in addition to contesting the military court cases in the Supreme Court.
On the eve of the first anniversary of the May 9 riots, people from all walks of life were visiting Lahore’s Jinnah House, according to a report released on Wednesday by Radio Pakistan.
After visiting Jinnah House, a delegation from the Punjab Union of Journalists and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) denounced the vandalism of victims’ monuments.
They said there was “no place for such political extremists in Pakistan” and expressed their outrage over the burning and siege of Jinnah House, according to the state television.
A delegation of the Peoples Democratic Alliance and Lawyers also visited Jinnah House, expressing concern that the May 9 perpetrators remain unpunished a year later.
