May-9 perpetrators should be brought to book: Javed Latif

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif stressed on Sunday that perpetrators of the May-9 sorrowful incidents should be brought to book so that people could differentiate between a political party and a terrorist group.

Addressing a press conference at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secretariat at Model Town, he said the unfortunate incidents taking place in the guise of protests on May 9 by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were an attempt to weaken the state. He said there was ample evidence of foreign conspiracy behind the attacks on that fateful day.

He demanded that perpetrators of the May-9 incident should be exposed before the nation to avoid such an incident in future. State properties including military installations were damaged by the protestors under a planning, he added.

The federal minister said that facts about the conspiracy under which elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in 2017 should also be made public so that people could be made aware of facts. The fact had already been related by many retired people of state institutions, he said and demanded that people of the country should also be told the facts about the conspiracy, which resulted in halting process of speedy development in the country under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

He said that various development projects were launched by the then PML-N government, whereas huge foreign investment under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was pouring in constantly to change the fate of the people; however, ousting of the prime minister under a conspiracy stopped the process of development and prosperity of the country.

Javed Latif said the PML-N wanted general election should be held on time; however, level playing field should be ensured to everyone. He said the PML-N, being a strong believer of democracy, did not ever support banning of any political party or a political leader; however, there was a need to ascertain if any party was ever involved in terrorism acts like May-9 incidents.

He said the perpetrators of May 9 incidents deserved no leniency and should never be spared, as it was a matter of sanctity of the state and anyone who had violated the law and the Constitution should be dealt with as per law of the land to maintain the writ of the state.

To a question, he said the PML-N strongly believed in power of masses and the party would accept their verdict that who should rule the country. He made it clear that the PML-N would contest general election under its electoral symbol and from the party platform.

To another query, the federal minister said that the Punjab province was a stronghold of the PML-N, as its people were well aware of the services rendered by the party for their welfare and they would again vote for the PML-N. Javed Latif said the PML-N had been strongly advocating the stance about rule of law and Constitution in the country and it was still standing with it and would continue to do so in future as well. (APP)