Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the government will punish all those involved in the May 9 mayhem, assuring that the unfortunate violent incident will never occur again in the country.
“I promise you all that the law will take its course and such an incident will not recur in the country,” the premier said while addressing the families of the martyrs at a ceremony in Islamabad.
The ceremony, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, was held to mark the first anniversary of the May 9 riots and to express solidarity with the martyrs and their families.
Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister said that the martyrs had sacrificed their lives to ensure the safety of the people and the country, which will be remembered forever.
He regretted that an organised group of people belonging to a negative mindset had desecrated the martyrs’ memorials on that day. He emphasised that those who engage in treasonous acts, attempting to divide the state’s institutions and the public, will face severe consequences.
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Such individuals, he warned, will receive exemplary punishment so that they do not dare to repeat such actions in the future.
Paying tribute to the martyrs, the premier said that they sacrificed their lives to save hundreds of thousands of children from becoming orphans. “The whole nation is proud of its heroes for their utmost love for their country.”
During the event, he also requested the audience to rise to their feet as a mark of respect and tribute to the martyrs and their families.
PM Shehbaz maintained that whenever the country faced challenges, whether it was war or a natural disaster, the brave officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army had always been ready to cope with the challenges.
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Appreciating the army’s exemplary efforts in supporting the families of martyrs, the prime minister said that this model should be adopted by other institutions as well. He assured that the government would fully contribute to the welfare actions for the martyrs’ families.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Ali Nasir Rizvi said he was DIG Operations Lahore on the same day last year and his eye got injured which kept on bleeding for two and a half hours during the riots.
He said that he could not forget the day when the miscreants used their force with the help of weapons, petrol bombs, iron rods, and stones against the state’s law enforcement agencies, which caused serious injuries to some 92 security officials.
Family members of the martyrs also spoke on the occasion and shared memories of their loved ones. They said they were proud of their brave near and dear ones who embraced martyrdom for their motherland.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, cabinet members, and other politicians also attended the event.
