‘Hidden hand’ is controlling PTI protests: Interior Minister

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership seeks negotiations, a "hidden hand" is controlling events behind the scenes.

Addressing the media in Islamabad, Naqvi stated that the Inspector General (IG) has full authority to deal with the protesters as deemed necessary.

He explained that PTI had been offered the opportunity to protest at Sangjani but instead used the negotiations as a tactic to gain time and proceed with its own agenda.

The PTI leadership does not want bloodshed and is willing to negotiate. However, a ‘hidden hand’ is orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, he remarked, adding that this influence is the root cause of the unrest.

Naqvi warned that the PTI will face setbacks and that the "hidden hand" will ultimately fail, as its agenda is entirely different and focused on inciting riots.

The minister revealed that on Monday, four individuals were martyred, including three Rangers personnel and a policeman. He also reported that two Rangers and five Punjab police officers are in critical condition, with two ASPs and an SP seriously injured, along with 70 other Punjab police personnel.

Naqvi alleged that the entire PTI convoy originated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), claiming that tear gas shells fired by protesters were supplied by the KP government.

He emphasized that the government is determined to avoid loss of life at any cost. “It would have been easy to respond to bullets with bullets, but we refrained,” he concluded.