PM Shehbaz labels PTI as ‘fitna,’ orders to file FIRs against protesters

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is no longer a political party but a group of terrorists, ordering that terrorism charges be filed against those involved in recent riots.

Speaking at a high-level meeting in Islamabad on law and order, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the ongoing attacks on the federation, calling them unprecedented in their malevolence.

He recalled the 2014 sit-in at D-Chowk, which he claimed humiliated Pakistan and severely damaged its economy. He added that the visit of the Chinese President was canceled due to the protests.

He also pointed out that the President of Belarus was able to complete his visit during the protest while PTI also staged demonstrations during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference

Sharif emphasised that the economic losses inflicted by protests were staggering, with Pakistan suffering irreparable damage, including the tragic deaths of four Rangers and a policeman.

PM Shebaz said that protests and sit-ins were costing the country approximately Rs190 billion per day. He condemned the spectacle created before the world, calling it an embarrassment.

He further criticised PTI’s hostility, citing the protests during the Chinese Prime Minister’s visit in October. “What greater hostility towards Pakistan could there be?” he asked. “Their only agenda is to destroy Pakistan and undermine our international partnerships.”

The Prime Minister concluded by ordering that PTI should not be regarded as a political party, “but a fitna [mischief] and a group of terrorists,” he said.    

He called for terrorism-related charges to be filed against the group, and urged that decisive action be taken to protect the stability of Pakistan. "The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has shown no concern for Parachinar, but we will not allow them to continue destabilizing Pakistan. We must put an end to this destruction."