PM Shehbaz Chairs Task Force Meeting, Announces Efforts to Identify Rioters
• Punjab Plans Large Anti-Riot Force and Compensation Package for Slain Law Enforcers
A task force has been established to identify the rioters responsible for the deaths of paramilitary and police personnel during the PTI’s long march on Islamabad, while Punjab has announced plans to create a 10,000-strong anti-riot force to address violent protests.
During a task force meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need for strict actions against those who killed and injured law enforcement officers and caused damage to public property. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Shehbaz stated that an anti-riot force would be set up to meet modern challenges, and a forensic lab would be created along with an upgrade to the Islamabad Safe City initiative.
The Prime Minister was briefed that weapons, cartridges, shells, and other evidence had been collected from the crime scenes and would be sent for forensic analysis. Efforts to identify the rioters are progressing rapidly, and they will be brought before the courts.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused the PTI of misleading the public with “fake narratives and lies” about law enforcers firing on protesters. He challenged the PTI to provide evidence of law enforcement shooting at protesters, while also calling out the discrepancies in the reported number of fatalities, which ranged from a dozen to thousands. Minister Tarar stated there were no bodies, and if the PTI had any, they should present them to the media. He noted that four Rangers personnel and a police officer had been martyred, but PTI leaders had not expressed sympathy for the fallen officers’ families.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz condemned the violent PTI protests in Islamabad and approved a compensation package for law enforcers killed and injured during the demonstrations. A total of Rs 29 million would be allocated to the families of slain law enforcement officers, and Rs 1 million each would be provided for injured personnel.
The CM also informed the cabinet that 172 police officers had been injured during the protests and described the treatment of the wounded at CMH Rawalpindi as “shameful.” A special anti-riot force of 10,000 trained personnel will be established in Punjab to tackle future riots.
Addressing the launch of the ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative, CM Maryam emphasized that the people had rejected PTI’s calls for protests. She condemned those who attacked the country on May 9, 2023, and accused PTI of instigating violence through foreign funding. She also criticized PTI for not providing evidence of the alleged deaths of their supporters in the protest, adding that the group must be eradicated if they continue unlawful activities.
