At least 12 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters were allegedly killed in the firing during the third day of the Islamabad march in the wee hours of Wednesday, the party’s information secretary has said as he puts rumours of a big death toll to rest.
“This is our verified data from our own data collection centre,” Sheikh Waqas Akram told reporters in Islamabad. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub accompanied him.
He identified the deceased as Mubeen Malik from Abbottabad; Abdul Qadir from Abbottabad; Tariq Khan from Shangla; Malik Sadar Ali from Mardan; Muhammad Ali from Charsadda; Anis Satti from Kotli Sattiyan; Muhammad Ilyas from Islamabad; Sardar Shafiq Khan from Dera Ghazi Khan; Abdur Rashid from Qilla Saifullah; Ahmed Wali from Pishin; Imran Abbasi from Khanpur but living in Islamabad; and Dad Wali from Charsadda.
“These are those whose bodies were in PIMS. PIMS [Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences] did not hand over the bodies to families of deceased when they visited the hospital. Now bodies were given to the families by saying that these people died in accidents.”
Thousands of PTI supporters marched on November 24 from different cities to Islamabad for Khan’s “final call” to “ensure the release of party members and restoration of democracy.” But the protest was called off on the third day.
They managed to reach the federal capital despite roadblocks and disruptions to the internet and cellular services.
At least six people, including a police officer and three Rangers officials, lost their lives during three days of protests, as reported by officials and hospital sources.
It was the third time that time that the party called off its protest after reaching its desired destination. According to reports, the party’s top leadership had expressed concerns over the lack of participation from supporters in Punjab during the meetings for the Islamabad march.
He claimed that the above mentioned people died after receiving bullet wounds and expressed concerns that the death toll could further increase as the number of missing people and critically injured was “very big”.
His statement is in contrast to other party leaders. PTI’s Latif Khosa, while appearing on Aaj News programme News Insight with Amir Zia via video link, shared statistics from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general.
“At least 218 PTI supporters were killed and 1,900 people had bullet injuries,” he said.
Akram accused the government of concealing the number of people who died in the protest and opening indiscriminate firing on the protesters. “The government used live ammunition and killed people.”
He claimed that many international media outlets have reported such details. The PTI information secretary alleged that the government pressurised the Poly Clinic hospital to conceal a number of people who died.
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“Which law allows the government to kill people and open fire at the people,” he said, “keep in mind, they were peaceful protesters, they were ready for tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades. They were not militants or statues. They were not ready for bullets.”
He went on to add that no one had the right to open fire at them. “This government had no right to shoot at peaceful protesters as they were exercising their constitutional right.”
Akram warned that the Islamabad firing would have repercussions and that families of the deceased would never forget the authorities. He slammed the government for claiming that “not a single bullet was fired on protesters.”
He claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was “one of the last people to leave the D-Chowk.” Akram alleged that the CM’s vehicle was targeted after leaving the iconic public square.
According to the PTI leader, more than 5,000 people were detained before the November 24 protest.
While reacting to the resolution seeking a ban on PTI, he said that a similar resolution would be tabled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seeking a ban on PPP and PML-N.
Leader of Opposition in the NA Omar Ayub claimed that American weapons were used in the firing against the PTI supporters at the D-Chowk.
“They were those weapons of United States of America which were by Coalition Support Fund, a gift from the people of USA. M-16, a light machine gun was used,” he said and claimed that it fires at least 750 rounds per minute.
In response to queries about why leadership did not stand during the operation, he said that the distance was not even 150 metres from where the security men started firing. “Who can sustain such bullets?”
He claimed that a sniper rifle was also used in the operation.
Ayub demanded a court martial of a person who shoved a PTI supporter who was offering prayers on the shipping container. He urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to form a judicial commission to investigate the firing on the citizens.
