ISLAMABAD, Dec 11 (APP/DNA): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said peaceful protest was the right of every political party but use of public and state resources for protest were not allowed.
Responding to various points raided by leader of the opposition in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz, he said the opposition should learn lesson from the past and the country could not afford chaos.
He said that 100-150 people who were part of the opposition protest on November 26 have weapons and those have been arrested. Out of those arrested people, over three dozen were Afghan citizen and were paid to participate, he added.
He said like May 9, the protesters crossed all red lines and six personnel of law enforcing agencies including 4 of Rangers lost their lives. Some 232 personnel of police including 56 of Islamabad police sustained injuries adding that dozen of them were still in critical condition, he added.
He said the protesters have weapons, slingshots, and sticks. “Who were they here to conquer? Was there any enemy here?” he said.
He called upon the opposition to provide details of your workers who were killed during the protest and the government would verify them.
Ishaq Dar said that on November 26, the police force were at the front followed by the Rangers. Army was only deployed under article 245 of the constitution for protection of key government buildings including the Parliament in the Red Zone, he added.
He said the PTI held march despite ban on rallies by Islamabad High Court in the Capital. The Opposition was offered to hold rally at Sangjani but they kept on insisting that they would go to D-Chowk, he added.
He said false news and propaganda was being spread through social media. “You people have publicized it all over the world, saying that something terrible happened,” he added.
He said PTI workers were experts at spreading fake news on social media and they always twisted and edited our statements and broadcast them.
Dar said Pakistan is a Muslim country with nuclear and missile technology adding that several powers wanted to bring Pakistan to bankruptcy. “Some forces want Pakistan to default so that they could impose their agenda on us,” he observed.
The leader of the House said that they have pulled the country out of the brink of default and Pakistan have mineral reserves worth $ 10 trillion.
He said he was not in Islamabad on November 26 but as chaos erupted when PTI’s leadership fled due to aerial firing.
Ishaq Dar said that the government did not stop the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He invited PTI to hold Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the government will fully cooperate.
He urged the opposition to join hand to take the country out of the crisis. “Come forward and sign charter of economy like charter of democracy for progress and development of the country, he said.
Earlier, speaking in the House, Syed Shibi Faraz demanded to set up three member judicial commission of the Supreme Court to probe May 9 and November 26 incidents.Later the House was adjourned to meet on Thursday at 4:00 pm.
: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday){kind=link}