Imran Khan was mastermind behind May 9 arson attacks: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Saturday that PTI chairman Imran Khan was the mastermind behind the May 9 arson attacks and his so-called condemnation of the tragic incidents would not absolve him of the responsibility.

Addressing a press conference, she said that Imran Khan had generated an image of a woman by artificial intelligence (AI), shared it on his Twitter handle and ridiculed the security personnel by claiming his female supporters were being targeted by law enforcement agencies.

She said that in fact no such incident occurred and his lie was exposed by a television channel from France. “On May 19 in a tweet, Imran Khan uploaded pictures of Rangers and police in front of a woman’s picture created by artificial intelligence,” she said, adding that Imran Khan and his party tried to give a wrong impression that his party’s female supporters were victimized by law enforcement agencies but the French TV channel revealed the truth.

"It categorically stated that no fundamental rights of anyone were violated during the crackdown on May 9 arsonists," she added.

On the contrary, she said that human rights of schoolchildren, patients in hospitals and general public were trampled by the PTI goons who attacked sensitive installations and public property on the behest of Imran Khan.

She said that the entire nation was dismayed over the attacks that Imran Khan had planned to avoid the cases of foreign funding, theft of Toshakhana gifts and paternity issue of his daughter.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said for the first time, Imran Khan had realized what were the consequences of playing with the law. “Imran Khan had been planning such terrorist activities for the past 14 months when he was thrown out of power through the democratic process of no-confidence motion,” she said.

She said that the PTI’s senior leadership continued to infuriate and instigate the party workers during arson attacks.

The minister said that whenever Imran was asked to be accountable for his corruption, he instigated the children of the people to attack sensitive installations.

She said if he had not committed any crime, Imran Khan should defend himself in the courts. She said if there were no terrorists in Zaman Park, Imran Khan should allow the Punjab government to search the building.

The minister said that many PTI leaders were quitting the party on the voice of their conscience as any patriotic person could not support arson and terrorism in the name of politics. She said they were also saying that they could not defend the actions of May 9 in their constituencies.

"Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had restored the honor and dignity of Pakistan after coming into power last year," she maintained.