A special meeting of Federal Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was held at the Parliament House in Islamabad on Thursday which vehemently condemned the May 9 tragedy as the ‘darkest day’ in the country’s history, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the special meeting of the Federal Cabinet, while leaders of the allied parties were also invited to attend it.
Addressing the special cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif said called the May 9 incidents a revolt against the state and its institutions and said the real objective of the attacks was to topple democracy, bury the constitution, and bring dictatorship in the country besides undermining the national unity to cause social unrest.
Shehbaz said May 9 was a black day in Pakistan’s history when the rioters attacked the defence institutions and the monuments of martyrs and Ghazis. The evil plan of May 9 was not merely a conspiracy against Pakistan but also the state, Pakistan Army, and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir. But thanks to Allah Almighty that design was thwarted. However, the nation wants to know as why despite a year, the culprits were not yet punished,” he remarked.
He said holding the cabinet meeting at the Parliament House aimed to give a message of unity and express solidarity with the nation’s martyrs and heroes.
The prime minister viewed that the May 9 attacks were carried out to undermine that time PDM government’s efforts to stabilise the economy, impede normalisation of strained ties with friendly countries, and cover up the foreign funding, Toshakhana, and 190 million pound corruption scams, and ensure the appointments on key posts without merit.
Exemplifying the riots in the UK and USA, the prime minister said no country could tolerate such heinous crimes against the state institutions. He said except May 9, the politicians in the country’s history, despite facing tough circumstances, played role in pacifying the situation either through the slogan of “Pakistan Khappay” or tolerated the hardships without uttering a single word against Pakistan.
He said those behind the May 9 attacks had also hurled the allegations of “35 punctures” (a reference to the allegation of polls rigging) and made contradictory statements in cipher case, also undermining Pakistan’s ties with the United States which the incumbent government was trying to improve.
He said the nation had witnessed the May 9 riots and also those who orchestrated and executed the anti-state conspiracy with some people also confessing the same in videos. He said even today, the anti-Pakistan propaganda was being carried out from abroad, and letters were written by some elements to destabilise the national economy.
He told the cabinet members that the government had already put the country’s economy on the course to stability and thanked the political parties for extending their support. He also expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice of Pakistan for assuring his support to expedite the disposal of tax-related cases involving Rs 2700 billion.
Apprising the members of his recent Saudi visit, he called it the “most productive and useful” visit of his life.