People involved in 9th May incidents should be punished in line with the law: President Alvi

ISLAMABAD, May 18 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should openly condemn the May 9 events, President Dr. Arif Alvi said Thursday, in which public properties and military installations were attacked. President Alvi said that now elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkwha could not be held and will be held at once in whole country.

In an interview with  private TV channel programme  Capital Talk’s anchorperson Hamid Mir , President Dr. Arif Alvi— a close aide of the PTI chief — called for taking action against the miscreants involved in the events.

The PTI leadership — including the party chairman — have condemned the attacks in which the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, was also targeted and called for a Supreme Court-led probe into the events.

The violent protests were triggered after Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case which led to the deaths of at least 10 people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

After the supporters attacked army installations, the army said that May 9, 2023 — the day when chaos gripped the nation following Khan’s arrest — would go down in history as a “dark chapter”.

The military and the government alike have vowed to try the vandals who attacked army installations under the Pakistan Army Act, Official Secrets Act, and other laws.

Human rights organisations and some in the government have opposed trying civilians under the army act, but agreed that the vandals should be tried and “due process” be followed.

President Dr. Arif Alvi, in the interview, also added that during the trials, the suspects’ human rights should be respected and they shouldn’t be tortured. “The people involved in 9^th May incidents should be punished in line with the law,” he said.

President Alvi said that he had also written letter to Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir while expressing grief and sorrow on the 9^th May incidents. He said that 9^th May incidents should be condemned. He said that in every incident the nation remains waiting for impartial investigations. He said that if anyone has done anything wrong he should be tried and should be given exemplary punishment.

President Alvi said he thinks that human rights violations have been increased during the tenure of current government.

President Alvi said many people were killed, banks were looted, vehicles were burnt and government offices were destroyed after the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto but the matter softened after the “Pakistan Khappay” raised by Asif Ali Zardari. Replying a question, Dr. Arif Ali said that he is with Pakistan, with Pakistan army and with democratic forces of Pakistan.

The president added that the PTI chairman did not oppose Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir. “Imran Khan asked me to tell General Bajwa that he should accept anyone whom the institution approves as the next chief,” President Alvi said. President Alvi said that there are some questions which should be asked from Imran Khan.

President Alvi said that the government PTI and government should not put preconditions for holding dialogues, adding that India put preconditions in everything. President Alvi said that he was the person who was advising to catch whichever election date is being given during the recent negotiations between the government and PTI, adding that the government has to initiate the dialogue process again.

President Alvi said that it is silver lining that Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said there is no chance of imposition or emergency and elections will be held on time. He said that police is violating human rights and the world is watching human rights situation in Pakistan and GSP Plus is coming and HR violations will last impact on it. He said that human rights should be respected in the country.

President Alvi said that the critics of the Supreme Court were provided with the opportunity to criticize the apex court in result of only order of holding Punjab Assembly election instead of ordering to hold provincial assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. President Dr. Arif Alvi said that he appeals from the dissenting judges and the other judges who are delivering judgments that if they had jointly made any decision regarding holding of elections then Pakistan had found some direction. He said that parliament is talking about its supremacy but it is short of 100 members.

President Alvi said that transparent investigations into the 9^th May incidents should be conducted and responsible for the destruction should be punished.