Adviser to the Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah, stated that people were not prevented from attending the PTI rally, but the turnout was significantly low. Speaking on Geo News’ program Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah said the people of Punjab, particularly those from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, had rejected the rally. He added that the speeches delivered at the event confirmed the government’s earlier decision to disallow the rally, as they aimed to incite chaos, similar to the events of May 9. “If state institutions are expected to stay within their limits, why not political parties? They want to hold a rally in Lahore, but I challenge them to cross the Attock bridge. They will face the consequences,” he warned.
Sanaullah also clarified that there would be no judicial relief package, a stance reinforced by the prime minister.
In a video message, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, echoed Sanaullah’s remarks, saying the public had rejected PTI’s rally, contrary to the leadership’s lofty claims. “The millions of people supposedly bringing about a revolution—no one knows where they’ve gone. Have they disappeared to another country or location?” he asked. Tarar accused PTI of spreading false information by using old videos and misleading social media posts to create the illusion of a large turnout. He asserted that PTI’s leadership could not avoid accountability and that their chairman must face trial for corruption.
Tarar also commented on clashes between rally participants and police near the event venue, reiterating that PTI has a history of violence rather than peaceful protests. Meanwhile, police discovered a suspicious bag near the PTI rally, containing a hand grenade, detonator, wires, and other explosives. Law enforcement was investigating, and security was heightened, with police, Rangers, and paramilitary forces deployed throughout the capital.
Minister for Defence, Khawaja Asif, criticized KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, claiming he could not maintain peace in his own province while talking about leading a “Lashkar” to Islamabad. Asif mocked Gandapur’s comments about a Bangladesh-like situation, questioning his credibility.
Punjab Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb condemned Gandapur for using derogatory language about women, claiming it went against Pakhtun values. She blamed PTI’s aggressive rhetoric for corrupting the country’s youth. Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Azma Bokhari dismissed the rally as a mere concert, funded by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government resources, with participants transported in Rescue 1122 vehicles.
Bokhari reiterated that holding rallies would not free PTI’s founder from jail, adding that all those involved in the May 9 events would be held accountable. She compared May 9 to the fall of Dhaka, calling it a historic event that could never be forgotten. Bokhari also criticized PTI’s hypocrisy, noting that Imran Khan opposed NAB amendments but was the first to seek relief under them.
