Tarar slams Gandapur’s call for armed protests

• Tarar says PTI has led protests with armed groups previously as well.
• Armed protests with Afghan immigrants hallmark of PTI: info minister
• PML-N stalwart accuses Gandapur’s security guard of engaging in violence.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has admonished Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s warning of armed protests against the federal government after what happened on November 26, saying that the Imran Khan-founded party’s protests had never been peaceful.

Reacting to the controversial statement, the minister highlighted the alleged history of the former ruling party resorting to violent tactics. “Armed protest demonstrations along with illegal Afghan immigrants are a hallmark of the PTI,” the minister said on Saturday night.

They previously marched on the federal capital with armed groups, Tarar added.

The minister’s condemnation comes hours after the firebrand KP CM called on PTI founder Imran Khan to cease advocating for peace, while warning the incumbent government of taking to the streets with “guns” next time.

“Imran Khan! for God’s sake, stop advocating for peace. Next time, we will not talk about peace. When we come out with weapons, we will show who runs away,” Gandapur said while addressing a ceremony in Abbottabad on Saturday.

Lambasting the PML-N-led coalition government, Gandapur likened it to fascism, saying that his party is waging a war against the fascist regime. “Fascism has trampled on Pakistan’s Constitution, law, morality and humanity,” he added.

In his reaction to the chief minister’s statement, the information minister also accused Gandapur’s security guard of engaging in violence, stating that eyewitnesses saw him opening fire.

They aim to play politics over dead bodies, he added.

Tarar recalled two major PTI-led protests — May 9 and November 26 — describing them as the “dark chapters” in the country’s history.

The PML-N stalwart also claimed that people of KP have already rejected the approach of the former ruling party, saying: “Masses have turned their backs on PTI and will do the same by rejecting the party’s any future calls for protests as well.”