The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, gave the security forces 72 hours to arrest those involved in the looting of a historic barracks in Lahore carried out during protests over the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has already been released and He returned to his residence in that city.
“I have given the security forces a period of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, supporting and perpetrating the unfortunate incidents of arson, looting, sabotage and damage to public and private property,” the Pakistani president said after meeting with the authorities of the Punjab region in Lahore, reports the local network Geo TV.
The leader asked to dedicate all available resources, including technological and intelligence aid, to arrest those responsible for the attack on May 9 against Jinnah House, home of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the historic first leader of independent Pakistan.
“Bringing these people to justice is a test for the government. Their cases will be tried in anti-terrorist courts” because they are “unacceptable terrorist acts,” stressed the premier, who described Khan’s followers as “anti-Pakistani,” the news agency reported. Europa Press news agency.
The ex-premier’s party, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, denied any involvement in the violence: “We believe that our objectives can be achieved by peaceful, non-violent means and in accordance with the Constitution and the Law.”
Khan was arrested last Tuesday in a case of alleged corruption, but a court ordered his provisional release yesterday amid serious protests across the country.
The leader, a former cricket star, arrived at his Lahore residence today and videos released by his party showed more than a hundred supporters celebrating his release and throwing rose petals over his car.
Khan is the subject of several legal charges, as has been the case with other opposition figures in the country, since he was ousted from power in April last year.
His arrest sparked two days of chaos, with thousands of his supporters burning down buildings and blocking highways in several regions, the AFP news agency said.
The Government deployed the Army and at least nine people died in the riots, according to police and health sources.
Khan has launched an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military, accusing the current coalition government of removing him from power last year in collusion with high-ranking generals.
Source: Ambito
