Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said there will be “no charges” against those who staged the May 9 riots, citing the unrest following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
“There is no weakness regarding the events of May 9, and there is no impunity for those who organize, support and assist efforts to destroy our nation,” said the Prime Minister in his article on X.
He said that the symbol of our national pride and honor has been attacked on this date and “the sanctity of our holy land has also been attacked”.
Using the slogan ‘#May9NeverAgain’, Prime Minister Shehbaz said “love for our country needs nothing”.
In a speech on the first anniversary of the riots, President Asif Zardari condemned the violence and said the tragic incident had only tarnished the country’s image, serving the interests of Pakistan’s enemies.
He called the mob attack an attempt to challenge government records, undermine the rule of law and weaken institutions. He said those responsible for the May 9 violence must be brought to justice.
The President said that peaceful demonstrations and constructive criticism are at the heart of democracy, and that the Constitution provides fundamental rights to assembly and expression.
However, he stressed the importance of “respecting these rights with the utmost responsibility and within the limits of constitutional and legal provisions.” He warned that “any attempt to abuse these rights to incite violence will not be tolerated.”
“The current political situation requires all political parties to work on tolerance, democratic values and political dialogue and give clear direction to the people,” he said.
Nationwide protests targeting government and military facilities escorted former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023 from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The facilities attacked included the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the army chief’s residence in Lahore.
