Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that that the government would not tolerate any future acts of violence, disruption, or sit-ins intended to destabilize Pakistan.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the premier without mentioning the name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), condemned the recent violent actions in Islamabad and other parts of the country, which he described as being driven by a group of miscreants.
PM Shehbaz regretted that such actions had not only harmed public order but had also inflicted significant economic damage, something the government could no longer allow to continue.
He outlined the far-reaching consequences of the disturbances, which included the forced closure of businesses, widespread economic disruption, and severe hardship for ordinary people.
“Traders were in distress, factory owners were suffering, and daily wage workers were struggling to find work,” the prime minister said, highlighting the massive toll on the stock market, which saw a loss of 4,000 points in a single day due to the chaos.
He pointed out that these protests had led to widespread paralysis in Islamabad and other parts of the country, and that the overall economic losses had been catastrophic.
Following the recent disturbances, PM Shehbaz vowed that strict measures would be taken to prevent further outbreaks of violence.
He emphasized that the country could no longer afford to divert its resources and energy to managing protests that were undermining the nation’s economy and stability.
"The only path ahead for Pakistan," he declared, "is progress and prosperity," making it clear that his government would not allow any group to continue hindering the country’s growth for their own political or personal agendas.
The premier also reflected on the long-term damage caused by such protests, recalling that similar actions by the same political group in 2014 had caused significant harm, including the postponement of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan.
PM Shehbaz said that such actions, which included aggressive protests and attacks on security personnel, were deeply damaging to Pakistan’s reputation and its relations with foreign partners.
Criticising the leadership of the PTI, the prime minister noted that the recent violence and disruption had caused not only economic setbacks but had also endangered public safety.
He mentioned the tragic loss of life, with law enforcement personnel being injured or killed in the course of managing the unrest.
PM Shehbaz described these actions as nothing short of "treasonous," stressing that no true patriot would ever resort to such violence in pursuit of personal or political gain.
He made it clear that the government would not waste any more resources trying to address these recurring crises, and he called on the public to reflect on why the country continued to struggle with debt despite 77 years of independence.
“Had the perpetrators of the 9th May riots been properly punished, the country might not have faced the same level of unrest,” the PM asserted.
PM Shehbaz also took the opportunity to praise the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in responding to the recent wave of protests. He specifically thanked the police forces of Islamabad, Punjab, and Sindh, as well as other law enforcement agencies, for their role in bringing an end to the disturbances.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff for the military’s cooperation in maintaining law and order during this critical time.
PM Shehbaz pointed out that the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) had failed to address the growing threats posed by insurgents and terrorists in the region.
“Instead of focusing on the security situation in KP, the provincial government had launched an attack on Islamabad while further exacerbating the crisis,” the premier said, slamming the KP government for neglecting the needs of the people and instead focusing on inflammatory rhetoric and threats against the federal government
The prime minister also discussed the staggering economic costs of the recent unrest, stating that the violence had caused daily losses amounting to Rs 190 billion, with significant repercussions for Pakistan's trade, both in terms of imports and exports.
He firmly held the PTI leadership responsible for these acts, describing them as driven by personal interests that had placed the country's well-being in jeopardy.
PM Shehbaz made it clear that such actions could never be justified and would not go unpunished.
Despite the challenges posed by the violent protests, the prime minister took a moment to commend the coalition government’s role in stabilizing the economy.
He highlighted the success of the coalition parties in arresting runaway inflation and taking steps to put the economy on a path to recovery.
The premier attributed the positive economic trends to the collective efforts of all political parties, who had put aside personal political interests to work towards the greater good of the country.
PM Shehbaz reiterated that the government would not allow the country to be held hostage by violent groups or political instability.
"Under no circumstances will we allow such chaos to continue," he declared.
The prime minister reaffirmed that the government's focus would remain firmly on securing Pakistan's future, ensuring peace, and promoting national progress.
“Those responsible for the recent mayhem would be held accountable” he said.
PM Shehbaz vowed to protect Pakistan from any further attempts to undermine its sovereignty or economic stability.
The prime minister recollected that the PTI leadership’s actions had caused significant damage to Pakistan's international relations, pointing to the protests that had taken place during the visit of foreign dignitaries, including the delegation from Saudi Arabia.
PM Shehbaz said that the directive of Islamabad High Court (IHC) was torn into pieces as a person was hell bent to sacrifice the country for the sake of his vested interests.
He strongly condemned these actions, describing them as a form of "fascism" and stressing that such political maneuvers had no place in Pakistan's democratic framework.
“We will break that hand which harms the country,” PM Shehbaz said.
