Amid protests spreading across the country in the aftermath of Imran Khan’s arrest on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations said that the army had shown ‘restraint’ and ‘patience’ in the face of a deteriorating situation but would retaliate strongly from here on.

The statement also adds that the army will give an ‘serious retaliation’ if any more army or state installations are attacked. ISPR also said that the responsibility for this reaction would fall on the ‘group’ trying to push Pakistan towards ‘civil war’.

“May 9 will be remembered as a dark chapter,” the statement said.

The statement said that a security situation had been created in an organised manner to provoke the army into responding which would then be used to further political objectives. The statement added that the ‘conspiracy’ had been foiled by a ‘mature response’ from the army.

ISPR said that a ‘group’ had managed to do something that even the sworn enemies of Pakistan had failed to do in 75 years.

This is a translation of an ISPR statement issued in Urdu.

No leniency, says Maryam

On the other hand, Maryam Nawaz also said that the government should not show any leniency to ‘extremists’ protesting across Pakistan.

She added that Wednesday’s audio leaks had proven that Imran Khan was behind the plan for ‘disturbance’ and targets to be attacked in case of his arrest had already been marked.

She also added that the public had now seen the ‘terrorists’ through their own eyes and refused to become part of any protests.