Rejecting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allegations of “straight firing” at civilians during its “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has clarified that the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were not provided with live ammunition, but water cannon, tear gas and batons.
“Police and Rangers were deployed in the first two tiers, with the army as the third line of defence to protect the Diplomatic Enclave, Parliament House and other important buildings,” he said while briefing members of the diplomatic corps on the recent situation after the PTI protest.
The former ruling party’s much-hyped protest in Islamabad, aimed at securing PTI founder Imran Khan’s release who has been behind bars for more than a year, culminated in PTI’s hasty retreat after the government’s midnight crackdown on the protesters.
The Imran Khan-founded party has since claimed that at least 12 of its workers were killed and 1,000 were arrested. However, the government has categorically denied using live ammunition against the protesters and said that four law enforcers including three Rangers personnel and policeman were martyred during the protest.
