By Ali Irzam Malik
Where is the proof? Here it is, says PTI.
After claims of a large number of casualties during PTI’s Islamabad sit-in, the deaths of 12 individuals have been confirmed.
PTI Secretary General Sheikh Waqas told a press conference in Peshawar saying “the casualties are higher, but for now, we confirm 12 deaths of PTI workers who were shot dead by law enforcers during Islamabad D Chowk sit-in.”
Waqas Akram said in dats to come the party will provide more details about casualties. He said thousands have bullet wounds.
These are the 12 identified martyrs of 26th November. Many more missing and unidentified. Things will slowly but surely come to light about how many were actually killed in cold blood by Interior Minister @MohsinnaqviC42 & Gang. #IslamabadMassacare #Islamabad_Massacre pic.twitter.com/0ZqNGa8KNF
— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) November 29, 2024
On the other hand Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that the “official number” of deaths of PTI workers in the Islamabad protest did not reach double figures, as compared to the various figures coming out from the party.
A day of pitched battles between security forces and PTI protesters across the federal capital in the early hours of Wednesday.
A policeman was killed and three Rangers officials who were knocked down by a speeding vehicle.
Claims and counter-claims over deaths purportedly caused by law-enforcement action against the PTI marchers remained a major bone of contention between the government and the opposition party on Wednesday.
Speaking in an interview on ARY News programme ‘11th Hour’ on Thursday, Sanaullah said: “I think the official number is around four to five. Three dead bodies were confirmed who had funerals, according to reports. There could be two or three more. But double-figures are not observed.”
Sanaullah said the PTI’s claims about the alleged death toll would cause a backlash for the party.
“The kind of perception that PTI leaders are making, that is not possible. The reason for that is there might definitely have been some loss [of life] as six to eight personnel of law enforcement agencies were martyred so it is no big deal if political workers were hit,” Sanaullah said.
He claimed that “15,000-20,000” protesters were brought from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by PTI leaders, saying “damages” from the crackdown operation might have been high enough as the figures being quoted by the PTI if the demonstrator had remained at the protest venue.
After the latest PTI claim in which it showed the funeral of 12 PTI workers killed in Islamabad, the government of Shehbaz Sharif will have to make certain answers to questions. PAK DESTINY
