Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared that the miscreants involved in May 9 attacks on state installations will be tried under anti-terrorism law, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
This he said while chairing a meeting at KP Governor House during his visit to Peshawar on Thursday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he and members of his cabinet were in extreme grief over the tragic incident that took place at Radio Pakistan’s Peshawar building on May 9.
Speaking during his visit to the building in Peshawar, Shehbaz Sharif asked, “Was vandalizing and torching the building, which has a special significance in the country’s history, an act of patriotism?”
That was the building, he went on to say, from where announcement had been made in 1947 that Pakistan had come into being. “Every nation keeps its heritage close to its heart,” he said.
The prime minister said that not only miscreants had damaged Radio Pakistan’s building on that day, but also the monument of Chagai and other structures. “How sad it is that the archive department of the building was completely burnt,” he said.
He was of the view that there was no difference between those who had set the building on fire and terrorists. “What our arch foe India could not do throughout the existence of the country, was done by workers of a political party,” PM Shehbaz said, adding, “Those who had damaged military and government buildings as well as monuments of martyrs on May 9 did not deserve mercy and would be brought to justice.
Shehbaz Sharif also announced to immediately start work for restoration of the historic building of Radio Pakistan Peshawar, which was completely destroyed and set ablaze by the miscreants during violent incidents on 9th and 10th of May.
Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Ministers, Governor and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Director General Radio Pakistan, and other authorities were also present on this occasion.
The Prime Minister expressed his dismay over the loss of precious and historic archival record that was completely destroyed and torched by the violent mob.
Shehbaz Sharif while lauding the bravery and national spirit of Radio Pakistan employees also distributed cheques of financial assistance for the two staff members who bravely countered the violent mob that attacked the building of the national broadcaster.
He said ransacking and arson of Radio Pakistan Peshawar building severely hurt the twenty two million people of Pakistan.
He said torching the national broadcaster and its archival record that was preserved since independence of Pakistan by arsonists is not patriotism, but enmity with the nation.
Shehbaz Sharif said those who were involved in, ransacking, torching and miscreants activities would be dealt with iron hands according to the law and the constitution.
In his remarks, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the armed gangs attacked Radio Pakistan Peshawar building after complete planning.
She said they torched the entire building and historic archival record despite that the district administration and staff of the Radio Pakistan made their best efforts to stop them.
The Minister said the armed groups will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them according to law.
On this occasion, the Director General Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Tahir Hassan gave a detailed briefing to the Prime Minister about destruction and damages caused by the miscreants.
During the visit, the Prime Minister also announced payment of pending two months salaries to Radio Pakistan employees.
Shehbaz Sharif visited the damaged building of Broadcasting House of Radio Pakistan by the PTI protesters. He went around different sections of Radio Pakistan Peshawar and interacted with the staff of the station.
The Prime Minister was also briefed by Director General Radio Pakistan Muhammad Tahir Hassan about the damages of the Broadcasting House, records, restoration of transmission and rehabilitation works at the Broadcasting House.
Miscreants had vandalized and set on fire the building of Radio Pakistan Peshawar on 9th of this month during the violent protests after arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan, which caused the breakdown of transmission for 26 hours.
The engineering staff of Radio Pakistan Peshawar had restored the transmission on an emergency basis with the support of Pakistan Army.