Pakistani leadership vows to hold May 9 ‘attackers’ accountable

Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership on Thursday strongly condemned the unprecedented violence by the supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9 last year and vowed not to let the ‘executors’ get away with their actions aimed at establishing of an ”individual dictatorship”.

On May 9 last year, violent protests broke out following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan by paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court premises. His supporters destroyed a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), the Mianwali air base and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The army headquarters in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob.

On the first anniversary of the May 9 riots, army chief General Asim Munir ruled out any compromise with those responsible for the attacks on military installations.

In his address to the garrison officers and soldiers at the Corps Headquarters in Lahore, General Munir underlined that hostile forces and their accomplices have unleashed digital terrorism and are doing their utmost to create division between the armed forces and the people of Pakistan through lies , fake news and propaganda. However, the plans of all these forces will be foiled with the support of the nation, he added.

He said May 9 will undoubtedly remain a ‘black day’ in the history of Pakistan when deliberately indoctrinated and treacherously led miscreants attacked the symbols of the state and national unity and shamefully desecrated the martyrs’ monuments.

The army chief regretted that “the same conspirators were now brazenly and shamelessly trying to distort the story and implicate the state in this despicable enterprise. This mentality is precisely why no compromise or deal can be made with the planners and architects of this dark chapter in our history.” General Munir said the real leaders who are now presenting themselves as victims will be held accountable held for their actions, especially for their deeds. when there is irrefutable evidence of their involvement and complicity in organized violence and sabotage.

“Planners, accomplices, enablers and perpetrators of May 9 will be brought to justice according to the laws of the land,” he said.

Separately, the Pakistan Army issued a statement saying its entire leadership “strongly condemns the criminal acts committed on May 9, 2023.”

The Inter-Services Public Relations – the military’s media wing – called May 9 (Black Day) one of the “darkest days in our national history” and said that “no compromise can be made with the planners, facilitators and implementers of the tragedy of May 9, nor should they mislead the law of the land.” ”Bringing the real culprits of May 9 to justice is of the utmost importance to ensure that no one in the future dares to desecrate our world’s heroes and the symbols of our unity by such unjustified behavior in the future,” it added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at a cabinet meeting that the real aim of the May 9 violence was to end democracy and establish kingship and an “individual dictatorship.”

He said the violence was not just an uprising against Pakistan but against the state, including the army and its chief General Munir, to create division in the country.

“There can be absolutely no soft-heartedness about what happened on May 9, and there can be no absolution for those who orchestrated, supported and assisted the attempt to damage the foundations of our nation,” he said in a message on X.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the violence, saying the incidents had “severely tarnished the country’s image” and only “served the interests of Pakistan’s enemies”.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the responsibility of the perpetrators and conspirators of the May 9 violent acts would be brought to its logical conclusion as the characters behind the violence were known to all.

Information Minister Atta Tarar said there was evidence about who was involved in the May 9 acts, and stressed that they must be brought to justice.

The violence was also condemned by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who stressed that “bringing the conspirators to justice was necessary.”

The head of the Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, condemned the May 9 actions as “yet another dark chapter in the country’s history.” He said the “instigator behind the highly reprehensible events of May 9 is known to everyone.”

Meanwhile, Imran Khan refused to apologize for the May 9 riots, a day after the military ruled out dialogue with his party, unless they publicly apologized for the unprecedented violence.

Khan, speaking to the media on Wednesday after the legal proceedings in the P190 million Al Qadir corruption case at Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi, said he was ready for an investigation into his party’s 2014 sit-in organized.

“I condemned the May 9 incidents in the presence of (then) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial,” the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician said when asked whether he would apologize for the May 9 violence.

Following the May 9 violence last year, Khan and hundreds of his party workers are being tried in multiple cases, including one under the strict Official Secrets Act in connection with the violence. Khan has been in custody since August last year.

The government organized several events to mark the first anniversary of the May 9 violence in honor of the victims whose monuments were defiled by the protesters.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed outside Khan’s residence in Lahore and his party offices in Punjab province to prevent any protest by the party on the first anniversary of the May 9 violence.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said the government has cracked down on his party workers to stop them from taking to the streets but they would hold demonstrations. “Regardless of the crackdown, peaceful gatherings and protests will take place across Pakistan on the morning (of May 9),” he said.

A Punjab police officer told Press Trust of India that Khan’s party would not be allowed to hold any rally in the province on May 9.

Authorities in Islamabad have declared all gatherings illegal.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)