Data debunks govt claim of no PTI deaths during Islamabad march

Several federal ministers including, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal repeatedly denied that any protesters from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had been killed during the security forces' raid on November 26 in Islamabad.

Both ministers claimed that public hospitals in the federal capital, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Federal Government Poly Clinic, had received no bodies or gunshot victims from the operation.

Tarar specifically asserted that two hospitals had issued official statements rejecting the circulation of death tolls and claimed that the reports were baseless, attributing any circulating lists of deaths to be fabricated.

However, as per the news report, documentary evidence and testimonies from victims' families contradict these claims, revealing that several PTI protesters were indeed killed and treated at these hospitals.

Victims identified
Among the confirmed victims is 31-year-old Sadar Ali from Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His family and hospital records confirm that he was admitted to PIMS at 8:17 p.m. on November 26 and pronounced dead just 13 minutes later.

His death certificate, seen by GEO Fact Check, lists the cause of death as a gunshot wound. Ali was identified by his family as a PTI supporter.

Another victim, 24-year-old Mobeen Aurengzeb from Abbottabad, was pronounced dead at the Federal Government Poly Clinic at 5:12 p.m. on November 26. His death certificate also notes that he died from a gunshot wound, and his family has confirmed he was affiliated with PTI.

A third fatality, 20-year-old Anees Shahzad from Murree, was pronounced dead at the Poly Clinic at 5 p.m. His death certificate, like the others, identifies the cause as a gunshot injury, and his family also confirmed his support for PTI.

These deaths are consistent with a list of 12 fatalities allegedly caused by the raid, as reported by PTI, and align with burial details and photographic evidence shared by the victims' families.

Contradictory official statements
Despite the clear evidence of fatalities, both PIMS and the Federal Government Poly Clinic had issued public statements on November 27 denying the reports of deaths. PIMS stated that it had treated 66 law enforcement personnel and 36 civilians, most of whom were discharged after receiving minor treatment for injuries. The hospital dismissed the death reports as baseless. Similarly, the Poly Clinic also released a statement calling the circulating reports of gunshot deaths "fake."

Acknowledgment of Deaths by authorities
On November 28, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, acknowledged that at least five PTI workers had died during the raid, confirming the deaths in multiple locations, though the official toll remained disputed. Sanaullah indicated that funerals were being held in at least three different areas, with additional casualties possibly confirmed later.

This latest contradiction highlights the discrepancies between official government statements and the reality on the ground, as documented by victims' families and hospital records. GEO News' investigation corroborates the claims of fatalities, further complicating the narrative pushed by government officials.