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Updated 14 May, 2023 03:55pm

Punjab suffered Rs6,000 million worth of losses due to May 9 protest: Naqvi

Punjab suffered more than Rs6,000 million worth of losses due to violent protests on May 9, triggered by PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest, interim chief minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday.

“We will not sit idle until every culprit is arrested,” he said at a press conference in Lahore. “There is no doubt. All evidence is present that it was pre-planned and it was conveyed to them.”

Khan’s arrest by police and paramilitary forces on May 9 triggered violent protests, leading to attacks on state and sensitive buildings. But earlier this week the PTI chief got bail in several cases.

The caretaker chief minister shared the details of the damages in a presentation.

Which places were attacked

  • GHQ Rawalpindi
  • Hamza Camp, Rawalpindi
  • Cantt Entrance Gate, Gujranwala
  • PAF Base
  • Post Office Mianwali
  • Police CP Qamar Mashwani, Mianwali
  • Sessions Court Building Mianwali
  • ISI Office, Faislabad
  • Residence of Interior Mniister Faisalabad.
  • Army checkpost in Gujranwala
  • Private building in Gujranwala

All these targets were on the hit list of outlawed Taliban, the interim chief minister of Punjab said as he spoke about the damages caused by the violent protest.

The PTI usually protests at the Liberty Roundabout, the interim chief minister said and added that when these protesters entered the “Cantt they became terrorists”.

Around 3,400 people were outside the Jinnah House, he said, and vowed that the government would arrest all the arsonists come what may.

He claimed that protesters were planning to burn all planes after entering the Pakistan Air Force base.

What was damaged

  • 108 vehicles (public and private)
  • 23 buildings
  • Numerous other moveable properties
  • Lahore: two police vigos, six Hilux, 12 buses, one jail van, four bikes, and two single cabins.
  • WASA truck and six WASA cars
  • Eight ambulances of Rescue 1122 were burned
  • Audi showroom was damaged, one car was set on fire while others were damaged
  • Four private cars, two truck containers
  • Safe city cameras were set on fire and destroyed
  • Two buses in Multan
  • NBP branch in State Bank of Pakistan building in Multan
  • Two metro stations were burned. It will cost Rs1 billion to reconstruct it, said Naqvi.

The Punjab police have so far arrested more than 2,000 people. Further investigation was under way. He added that the public has given a “good response” to the government’s advertisement to help identify the miscreants. The government has announced a prize money for the people.

He warned that if any protester enters a government building, the police will take strict action against them.

“If any wrong person is arrested he will be released I guarantee,” he said.

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